I'd Die For You
by Spirit Summoner
Summary: Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura get sent to the Shadow Realm and the Millennium Items are missing. Possessed Hikaris and twisted memories... Is this just a coincidence, or is there something more sinister happening? Yaoi later, various pairings.
1. Chapter 1

I'd Die For You

"Are you sure you want to do this?" questioned Marik Istar as the Pharaoh handed him back the Millennium Rod. The cold metal object felt odd in his grasp. He hadn't touched it since the day after Battle City and fought against the dark memories that surfaced – reminding him of how he was. It seemed so long ago now.

"We have no choice," Yami replied.

This was too important. This had to be done – _whether he wanted to or not._

Marik cast a concerned glance at the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, but he kept his head down low. Marik frowned. The Spirit had been ignoring him for some time now, and if they were ever together Bakura would do all he could to avoid his gaze.

The Tomb Keeper wondered if he had done something to upset or offend the other man, but he couldn't think of anything.

Marik sighed inwardly. Things had gotten so – _so complicated._

Bakura looked terrible. He was gaunt and expressionless. There was a faraway look in his eyes, and he seemed exhausted. Marik had never seen him look so awful – not even when, well, he didn't really want to think about that.

Yami knelt down by the other spirit and began to wrap the Millennium Puzzle in a black, silk cloth. He then placed the bundle into a solid gold box where it lay next to the Millennium Ring and Millennium Necklace, which had been similarly bound. Nodding at Bakura, the Pharaoh lay the lid of the box onto the top. A bright light flashed as the Millennium Symbol appeared on his forehead, and then the top of the box – sealing it.

Taking the box, Bakura wrapped it in another cloth of dark silk, and then hid it in yet another box. This time, it was carved wood with a heavy metal lock. Closing the catch, Bakura proceeded to turn the key and secure the Items. The key was passed to the Pharaoh, who in turn left it in the care of the Tomb Keeper.

"Do you really think this is necessary, Pharaoh?" he asked as he took the key.

Yami nodded grimly. "The Necklace sent me a vision – I believe that it was telling me that someone will search for the Millennium Items. They cannot be allowed to triumph in their quest. No good can come from it. I am not sure of their intentions, but there was a reason I sealed them away three millennia ago."

"Why not leave them in the care of Ishizu and I?"

"If my vision is to be true, you may not be around to protect them. I sense that they will be a powerful force. Unless we succeed here, we may fail – and this time, it may not only be the fate of one world at stake. This way is best – for all of us," the Pharaoh said firmly.

Bakura lowered the box into a deep hole, before refilling it with the formerly displaced earth. Over the top he placed a heavy ceramic tile, and finally – with the aid of the other two – shifted a heavy gold stature over it.

The mood was bleak as the Tomb Keeper looked from the Pharaoh to thief and realised that there would be no turning back.

"Are you certain about this?"

Both nodded in acquiescence.

Marik took a deep breath.

_This is madness. _

Fighting against all sense and logic, he raised the Millennium Rod high over his head and a menacing purple haze surrounded them. Mournful wails cried out in the darkness and shadows began to swirl around them, hands clawed at them – icy fingers tightening on their limbs.

The two yamis closed their eyes.

_I'm already dead, anyway. This means nothing…_

_The less I fight, the easier this will be…_

The Millennium Rod shone bright gold and a moment later, both Yami and the spirit stopped moving and their bodies fell onto the floor in lifeless heaps.

Marik Istar had sent the souls of the Pharaoh and the Tomb Robber to the Shadow Realm.


	2. Chapter 2

I'd Die For You

"The Spirit of the Ring is missing?" asked Yugi, his innocent eyes widening incredulously.

Ryou Bakura – known to the thieving spirit as 'Vessel,' nodded.

His eyes were rimmed with red, and his face stained with dry tears.

The Spirit of the Millennium Ring had never been particularly respecting of anything, especially Ryou Bakura. He pushed him around, took over his body and almost killed him once in a bid to defeat the Pharaoh.

Needless to say, it came as a big shock to Ryou when the Spirit vanished half way through the night. But it also came as a surprise to everyone to find that Ryou was so upset to have lost his dark half.

"But you said that the spirit often disappears," said Tea squeezing Ryou's knee reassuringly.

"I think he's really gone this time," whispered Ryou.

A frown creased Yugi's forehead. Ryou had shown only an hour or so earlier in a flurry of wild white hair, soaked through with rain and tears in hysterics about his yamis disappearance. Yugi had been so worried that he rang the whole gang and called them round to the game shop since he couldn't make heads or tails of Bakura's ramblings.

"What do ya mean?" questioned Joey.

"The Millennium Ring – it's missing…," he revealed.

"Are you sure?" asked Tristan sceptically. "That thing's had more comebacks than Joey in his duels."

"Yeah," said Joey. _"Hey!"_

"He has a point, Ryou. The Ring seems to come and go as the spirit pleases."

"You don't understand, Yugi… it's all my fault. _It's all my fault!"_ Ryou covered his face with his hands and began to sob desperately.

Yugi stood awkwardly next to his friend. In all the confusion, he hadn't even changed out of his pyjamas.

Joey drew him aside. "Hey, Yug. What does Yami say about alla this?"

Yugi made a noise that sounded very much like a 'gah!'

"I completely forgot – he may know something about this!" he exclaimed.

_Yami?_ He asked mentally.

Joey noticed the look of frustration that had formed on his friends face. "Is something wrong?"

"He's not answering…" Yugi paused for a moment and then realised that as well as still wearing his bedclothes he had forgotten to grab the Millennium Puzzle. "I left the Puzzle upstairs!" he announced before racing up to his room to search for the precious item.

"Come on, Bakura, I'm sure whatever you did couldn't have been that bad," said Tea as she tried to console him.

"Yeah man," added Tristan. "I mean the spirit's a psycho – you're probably better off without him."

Bakura wailed louder.

"Was it something I said?" asked Tristan.

Tea whacked him over the back of the head with a slipper.

Suddenly, a loud cry of horror was heard from upstairs.

"Yugi!" shouted Joey who sprinted to his friend's bedroom.

Yugi was knelt by his desk, his hands clutching the leg of the wooden chair that was tucked under it.

"It's gone…," he whispered shakily.

"What's gone?" asked Tristan who had followed Joey up the stairs.

Yugi turned to look at them, but his indigo eyes seemed to be staring into a distant space.

"I can't find the Millennium Puzzle…"

"What?" exclaimed Tea, who was panting from her race up the stairs behind the boys.

"Are you sure, Yugi?"

Yugi nodded.

Tea did the good friend routine and roused everyone to search for the Millennium Puzzle, but it couldn't be found anywhere. Even Gramps hadn't seen it.

"Wait!" cried Tea suddenly. "If the Puzzle's gone – does that mean?"

Yugi nodded again and Tea gasped. The Pharaoh was gone.

Nothing made sense – first the disappearance of the spirit of the ring, Yami and the Millennium Items.

"How is this possible?"

"How could this happen?"

But most importantly – who could possibly be behind this?

* * *

A/N do you want to know why Ryou is so upset?

Well, you can find out if you read another of my fics called 'Anybody But You.' It's sorta like a side-story/ prequel of sorts.

Tell me if you like it!


	3. Chapter 3

I'd Die For You

Thank you so much for the reviews so far! I know the chapters have been a little on the short side, but it does mean that I'll be able to update more often - in fact you can usually tell the length of a chapter by how long it is between posts. Usually.

As always, read and review – and I hope you like it!

* * *

"Wait," said Tea, trying to be rational. "Just because the Puzzle and the Ring are missing doesn't mean that the others are too."

Tristan nodded. "Yeah… maybe it's just a coincidence."

"I don't think so guys," Yugi spoke quietly. "I can't find the Necklace or the Millennium Rod either."

Joey punched a fist into his hand. "Well we ain't gonna get anything done standing around like a load of lemons," he announced.

"Oh and what do you propose we do?" asked Tristan.

"Simple – find out if the rest of the Items are missing and find them."

"Okay… that sounds good to me." Tea began counting off on her fingers. "Well lets see… the Ring, Puzzle, Necklace and Rod are all missing. We know that Pegasus has the Eye."

"Pegasus!" declared Yugi suddenly. "Of course! why didn't I see it before – he's probably trying to revive Cecelia again!"

Yugi suddenly became much more animated and dove into his wardrobe and began to dig out his trade mark midnight blue clothes.

"Hey, Yug?" Joey began. "Feel like telling us what ya doing?"

"We have to see what Pegasus knows about this – he may be behind it all!" Yugi began to remove his top.

"Yeah, but Yugi we have no way of contacting him," noted Tea, blushing slightly and turning her head.

"We may not, but we know someone who does," revealed Yugi mysteriously.

"Who?" asked Joey. "You can't be talking about Kaiba?"

Yugi shook his head. "No, Joey – Duke."

"Didn't he move back to the States?" questioned Tristan. "I don't remember him leaving a number," he added in a slightly annoyed tone. It was no secret that he wasn't all that fond of the attractive, and successful Duke Devlin.

"Maybe not to us…" Yugi turned to look at Joey.

"Waitaminute!" declared Joey, realising what Yugi was trying to say. "Are you telling me he gave Serenity his number?"

"What! That poser – I should have known he'd pull something like that!" Tristan's eyebrow twitched.

"Tristan – calm down! Now is not the time," scolded Tea who placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

A few minutes later, Joey had finished in his task of finding out Duke's number from Serenity while Tristan was made to check on Bakura who had fallen asleep on the sofa downstairs. Yugi managed to persuade Devlin to part with the contact details for the headquarters of Industrial Illusions and it wasn't long before he was on the phone to the man himself.

"Yugi-boy! It's been so long – to what do I owe the pleasure of this most unexpected call?" drawled Pegasus from the other end.

"Pegasus, the Spirit of the Ring, the Pharaoh and the Millennium Items are missing."

"Missing you say? No!" gasped Pegasus in mock surprise.

"We need to know if you still have the Millennium Eye or if you know anything about this," said Yugi.

"I haven't had the Eye since the Tomb Robber stole it from me," stated Pegasus in a very matter of fact tone.

* * *

Yami Bakura and Yami Yugi meanwhile, were beginning to adjust to the transition from the earthly plane to the Shadow Realm.

The two had harboured an intense hatred for one another ever since their first meeting three thousand millennia ago when the thief had tried to plunder the tomb of the former Pharaoh – Yami's father.

But tonight, the had two met in secret against the knowledge of their light halves, and against their will. But it had had to be done. And it had to have been tonight.

"Tomb robber – I take it you felt it too?" asked Yami. Darkness surrounded the pair, and without his Puzzle, the Pharaoh felt a little – vulnerable. Tonight, he was glad of the company of the other yami.

The thief nodded. "I guess we always knew it would happen one day. All good things come to an end eventually."

He stared out into the darkness of the Shadow Realm, his mouth dry. He knew what this world could do to a person – he had often revelled in the torture if other souls when he had inhabited this plane. But back then, he had had nothing to fear – nothing to lose.

Now, he could lose everything he had gained _– if he hadn't already._

"Well, you're so evil you should live forever," came the barbed reply, only this time there wasn't the usual amount of venom behind it.

"Very funny Pharaoh. In that case, if you're so good you should have passed on millennia ago," the Spirit mused.

"And let you rob my tomb? I think not, thief."

"You say that like it's a bad thing!"

Yami gave a gentle smile and looked sadly at the spirit who had adopted the name 'Bakura.'

Shadows began to twist around them, and a cold air blew over them. Yami shivered.

"Pharaoh – you're not afraid are you?" teased the Spirit of the Ring, he had been expecting a guarded reply, but the Pharaoh seemed to have momentarily let down his defences.

"I can't remember the last time I was here, spirit. I wonder if any of the secrets of my past lie here…" he mused wistfully.

Bakura snorted. "Even if they did they would be twisted beyond belief – nothing here is real. This place can drive even the strongest of men crazy. Pretty soon, you begin to forget who you are for fear of what the darkness will tell you. You try desperately to forget those you knew because you know they will be taken away, only to come back and haunt you."

The Tomb Robber stopped and turned to look at the Pharaoh.

"Pretty soon, you can't even trust yourself."

"Then we shall trust in eachother," replied the Pharaoh.

"What makes you think I won't leave you here, Pharaoh? I care not what fate befalls you."

"I wouldn't try to pull anything, thief."

Bakura laughed darkly. "That is an idle threat – here, you have no more power than I."

"Perhaps not," agreed the Pharaoh. "But you have as much at stake here as I do."

* * *

"Ryou, Ryou!" shouted Joey, shaking him roughly by the shoulders.

"No!" called out Ryou, before his eyes fluttered open.

"Joey?" Ryou's eyes blinked rapidly as he focused on his messy blond friend. "What's going on?"

"Ryou, did you know that Bakura took the Millennium Eye from Pegasus?" asked Tea gently.

"What?" Ryou's face fell. "No, I don't usually remember anything when the spirit takes over – he – he doesn't let me see what he does or hear what he says."

"Okay, so the spirit obviously didn't want anyone to know he took the Eye," said Tristan. "But why did he take it?"

"You don't think he's behind this do you guys?" Tea questioned, a worried tone in her voice.

"But even if the spirit is behind this, it doesn't explain where Yami is," said Yugi.

"Yugi, I know you won't to hear this…" began Joey, "but what if the Pharaoh is working with Bakura?"


	4. Chapter 4

I'd Die For You

Thanks for the reviews everyone!

**Amazoness Archer** – I'm glad you like the story and I know there's just so many questions! I know that this is a romance fic, but there are a few reasons why none has been displayed. Firstly, some people are in denial, some pairs have been separated, and I actually haven't decided on final pairings yet. I have a feeling that some of the pairs are going to change throughout the fic, anyway.

I was going to tell you to read my other story 'Anybody But You,' but then I read your profile and saw that you're underage. I'm not sure, but I may have rated it too high – could someone please review it and tell me if I have? Basically, that fic gives you some hints as to the pairings I was going to include in this.

Enjoy!

* * *

Bakura laughed darkly. "That is an idle threat – here, you have no more power than I."

"Perhaps not," agreed the Pharaoh. "But you have as much at stake here as I do."

Bakura was silent for a moment, and then very quietly replied.

"Perhaps even more…"

Yami felt that was all the other spirit was willing to say on the subject and decided not to press the issue anymore. Although in this life he had not known the tomb robber as long as it seemed he had in their last, there was something of a residual memory of the thief in his mind. One that told him he didn't want to anger the Spirit of the Ring.

_Or distress him._

Yami however couldn't for the life – or soul – of him think why that was, but believed it had something to do with their ancient past. Although they never spoke of it, the Pharaoh couldn't help but believe that Bakura played a key role during their time together in Egypt. He also felt that there was something that Bakura was keeping from him – something he didn't want him to know about.

The purple smoke surrounding them shimmered and began to change shape. Bright red eyes glittered in the clouds, staring at them hungrily. Mouths began to form and mournful wailing filled the air.

Yami unconsciously moved closer to the Tomb Robber, elbows touching ever so slightly. The Pharaoh had never shown fear before, but right now, Yami was not the great and powerful ruler, but a lost soul whose only ties to his past lay with the buried Millennium Items and several mysterious people from ancient times. Sometimes he feared that he would never discover the truth.

Bakura held his breath. It seemed like the Shadow Realm had decided it was time to play with its new inhabitants…

The icy air began to warm until it felt as though they were choking in a blistering heat. A dry storm blew around them and great monuments began to reveal themselves from the earth.

"This place," said Yami suddenly as the haze lifted. "It looks – so familiar."

Sunlight began to beat down from the sky, breaking through the shadows revealing hot golden sand beneath them. In the distance, all that could be seen was the same ocean of sand stretched out far as their eyes could see. A few trees were dotted along the left of what appeared to be a courtyard, and in front of them stood a small fountain.

Although the harsh sun parched the land, Bakura suddenly felt cold. Of course this place would look familiar to the Pharaoh.

_They were in Ancient Egypt.

* * *

_

In Yugi's room, an uneasy silence had descended. Joey's last question hadn't gone unnoticed, but at the moment, it looked as though it would go unanswered.

Joey had kept pretty quiet after he realised what he had said and even endured a sound thrashing from Tristan to prove his remorse. Of course, when he felt that he had duly received his punishment he fought back, but it was still a punishment all the same. Joey had befriended the Pharaoh easily. Duelling in concert with him had allowed Yami to gain his trust, and being undefeated earned him his respect. Although he considered Yami his closest rival (along with Kaiba of course), he also thought of him as his closest friend (besides Yugi). He didn't really believe that Yami could be behind all the strange happenings, but his mouth moved faster than his brain and he had found himself sticking his foot in it yet again.

Tristan, being Tristan had pounced on Joey for offending Yugi, but his own opinion had drifted to the same train of thought some time ago. It wasn't that Tristan didn't trust the Pharaoh, it was that Tristan had never been fully able to comprehend all the mysteries and magic that had emerged after he and Joey befriended the flame haired Moto. He had always seen Yami as more of an extension of Yugi – a split personality or alter ego of sorts – and he never really grasped the concept of him being a separate person, and ultimately the former Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.

Tea had also found herself wavering. Although she had tried to keep it to herself, her crush on the ancient king was more than obvious to all her friends. It didn't help that she had the tendency to turn bright red when he spoke to her. Only the Pharaoh himself seemed oblivious to her emotions – being locked away for three millennia had left him denser that the Puzzle! Tea didn't want to believe that the Pharaoh was collaborating with Bakura, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. After all, how else would anyone have gained access to the Millennium Items in Yugi's possession?

Yugi's nervous laughter broke the quiet of the night.

"Yeah – that's a good one Joe – Yami working with the Spirit of the Ring." Yugi flashed his friends a smile to show his confidence in the Pharaoh in an attempt to calm everyone's nerves.

But deep in his heart, Yugi felt agitated. In the past, he wouldn't have even considered the possibility of Yami betraying his trust. The two shared a body, and although they had separate minds, their souls were usually merged at some time or another during their duels.

But lately…

The Spirit had become a lot more withdrawn, choosing instead to spend his time locked away in the Millennium Puzzle than in his company. The only times he emerged were to duel and occasionally check on his hikari and even then the hours were limited and unity scarce. Yugi had wanted to question the brooding Pharaoh, but conversation between the pair was somewhat stifled and was usually cut sort because the Pharaoh always had something of great importance to do that could never wait. Yami had also begun to shield his thoughts and Yugi couldn't help but think that perhaps the Pharaoh was keeping something secret from him.

But he never would have thought it possible for his protector to abandon him, and he never would have guessed that it would be with the tomb robber.

* * *

Bakura suddenly felt nervous. Ancient Egypt may well have been the true home of the Pharaoh and he, but he wasn't at all happy to see it. Far from it in fact. Egypt reminded him of a time when – well, he didn't like to think of it and knew that now sure as hell wasn't the time or the place.

Bakura's anxiety was not so much for himself, as it was for the Pharaoh. Although he too had forgotten most of his ancient past, he remembered enough to feel secure with whom he was. The Pharaoh, on the other hand, had forgotten himself completely and became almost another man in the world where they now lived.

He feared that the Pharaoh would be tricked by this world – by the images the shadows would manipulate in an attempt to drive him insane. Bakura knew that the Shadow Realm would delight in torturing the soul of one of the royals who wielded such power over the plane. The Pharaoh would be an easy target. His mind could easily be likened to that of a child – fresh, innocent of the truth and lies and ready to be shaped and moulded. With no memory, the Pharaoh could easily believe anything that he saw.

But most of all, Bakura feared that the Pharaoh would learn his secret – a secret that he had even forced himself to forget, but haunted him nonetheless.

Bakura reached out to restrain the Pharaoh, but he had already taken flight.

Bakura could only hope he would reach him before Yami reached whatever it was the shadows wished to show him…

* * *

Elsewhere

Pegasus was being escorted to his chambers by Croquet, unaware of the lone figure that crept stealthily behind him. Although dressed in a long cloak, he moved silently, clinging to the walls. The shadows provided him with all the cover he needed, and as the two in front of him reached their goal, he waited until the suited bodyguard left his master before slipping unseen into the room.

Now he was alone with his target – Maximillien Pegasus...


	5. Chapter 5

I'd Die For You

Thank you for the lovely reviews everybody!

**YamiServant** – torture the Pharaoh? Why would anyone want to torture the Pharaoh? I couldn't possibly inflict pain and suffering on the Pharaoh…

Okay – I'll do it. (All in the name of entertainment mind you! And don't worry, it won't be too bad. I hope…)

And the spooky guy? You'll just have to wait and see about him…

**Amazoness Archer** – good on you for sticking to your principles! When you're ready, please give my other fics a read – I'd appreciate your opinion on them.

**Amesis** – I'm glad you're liking the story! Just so you know, there will be lots about Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura to read about in the later chapters since they're stuck in the Shadow Realm together.

A/N I know I'm going to be writing about Ancient Egypt, but the thing is I haven't actually seen the Egyptian Memories Arc yet, so please bear with me. I'll have to guess a lot of stuff, but if I get anything wrong and you notice tell me so that I can put it right.

As always – enjoy!

* * *

Yami slowed as he reached a strange outdoor building, further than he had expected from the fountain. From a distance, he could make out a domed roof, which was supported by several marble pillars that stood around a circular hole in the centre. Stairs led up to it, and then back down so that you could sit on the carved stone. The hole was tiled and filled with clear water.

Noticing that there was nothing but a bricked path between him and the ancient bath, Yami carefully concealed himself behind the trunk of a large tree. It resembled that of a palm, the lush leaves falling in huge folds over the boughs. The bark was rough, although new bark showed through where some on the older was peeling from the trunk.

A woman was bathing, attended by a handful of maidservants, each dressed in long, loose linen dresses and thick gold necklaces bearing the mark of their mistress. Yami couldn't help but be entranced by the lady as her maids sprinkled fresh petals to fragrance the water.

Her hair was darkest black. It was gathered at the nape and then twisted upwards, and although it was secured by several elaborate pins, the Pharaoh guessed by the thickness and the number of grips holding the series of twists that it was indeed very long.

Her skin was dark, tanned by the sun, but still smooth. Her shoulders were naked, exposed from beneath the towel that was wrapped around her body to preserve her modesty as she washed. She laughed happily as her women covered her with the flowers, dancing as though she were playing in a snow fall.

Yet it was not any of these things that had him spellbound. It was her eyes. They were a strange colour – dark and alluring. Colours mixed and merged together and they shone brightly, although it was not from the sun that they reflected. It was as though her soul was shining through them. She was innocent and pure – perhaps even more so than Yugi.

"My lady! You must not tire yourself this way," scolded one of her ladies.

Yami noticed that the dress that she wore was different to the others. Each hem was decorated with gold braid, obviously done to show her superiority to the other servants. Her head was covered with a cloth and she bowed to her lady, even as she reprimanded her.

"Do not worry yourself so. I do not feel tired," smiled the woman in the water. She took the other woman's hand in hers and a look of genuine compassion was evident in her eyes. "Besides, it won't be long before I do not have the freedom to take such liberties with my time," she said her beautiful voice coated with sadness.

Yami raked his brain, trying to figure out why the woman seemed so familiar to him. He wanted to go to her – to talk to her – even hold her in his arms. Yami was sure that he knew her, and yet he could not remember who she was. He desperately desired to know who she was.

"All the more reason why you should save your strength for things to come," replied the maid. She patted her mistress' hand gently. "They will not be easy, my lady."

The woman smiled again. "I do not believe they will be, but I believe that Ra will lead me. The Pharaoh has already asked the High Priest to begin his preparations so that we are all prepared."

Yami tried to suppress a shiver – _Pharaoh? Was she referring to him? If that was the case, did that mean that the Priest was Kaiba? Who did that make her?_

"Pharaoh!" Yami turned round abruptly at the sharp call of his name.

Yami's face betrayed his panic. "Quiet Tomb Robber, or they will hear us."

Bakura, who stood out among the golden sand like a Blue Eyes in a herd of Kuriboh, glanced around to see what the Pharaoh was so worked up about. It wasn't long before his eyes fell upon the women. Bakura didn't seem quite so enamoured as the Pharaoh was. Indeed, the woman did seem somewhat familiar, and although beautiful Bakura didn't see why the Pharaoh was so enraptured. She was just a woman after all.

_Wasn't she?_

"No they won't Pharaoh! This isn't real!" shouted Bakura loudly.

She was just an image created by the Shadow Realm to trap and torture them. Perhaps she was important in the past, but she was no longer alive. She was no longer of any relevance to anything – did it matter if she looked a little familiar to him? He had been a thief, and she seemed – by the number waiting on her – a wealthy woman. It was possible that she was a past conquest.

The Pharaoh covered the other spirit's mouth with his hand, but Bakura was simply smirked into it until it was removed when no one seemed to have noticed his outburst.

"You see? They cannot hear or see us," he said. "Can you?" he deliberately called across to the women.

Yami took in a breath of air as he realised that they were about to be discovered. The smirk that was painted on Bakura's face soon disappeared, quickly turning to horror as the woman in the water let out a gasp of shock.

* * *

Meanwhile

Pegasus stood in front of a full - length mirror. The only light in the room emanated from a series of tapered candles that were left to burn so that their sweet scent filled the room.

As he began to remove his tie, Pegasus noticed a bright flash of light from behind him. Out from the shadows leapt his hooded assailant. One hand grabbed both of his and pulled them down. The grip was strong, and Pegasus knew that the harder he struggled, the more he would be hurt.

"Scream and I will slit your throat where you stand," hissed the dark figure as he slowly revealed a sharp dagger that had been concealed in his clothes. Pegasus gulped as the point was pressed just below the vein in his jaw. "Take one wrong breath and you will perish."

The other man's body was pressed rigidly against Pegasus. Tall as he was, the attacker seemed even taller, having to bend his head slightly so that he could whisper menacingly in his ear.

"Where is the Eye?" he demanded.

"Eye?" asked Pegasus incredulously.

_Who was this man and what could he possibly want with the Eye?_

"The Millennium Eye, you fool! I know that it belongs to you." The dagger was pushed ever so slightly harder, nicking the skin of his throat.

"It was stolen from me," said Pegasus.

"By who?" his wrists were squeezed tighter, and Pegasus could hear the bones cracking.

"The Spirit of the Ring!" declared Pegasus.

The cloaked man cursed under his breath. This was not part of his plan.

"Where does this spirit reside?"

"In the body of Ryou Bakura in Domino City!" wailed Pegasus in answer. He was terrified that tonight his life end.

Suddenly, Pegasus found himself flung from the grasp of the man. He crashed into the mirror, sending it to the ground where it smashed, while knocking over some of the many candles.

"Remember this – I could have killed you tonight, Maxillien Pegasus," said the man darkly. "But you may yet be of use to me…"

Footsteps could be heard running towards Pegasus' room. Soon, his guards would be upon him to investigate the noise. The shadowy man leapt onto the balcony of the open window in one graceful motion.

"Speak of me to no-one," he warned menacingly. Before he jumped, he made a final vow to the cowering Pegasus.

"If you do, I will return – and I will destroy you…"


	6. Chapter 6

I'd Die For You

Utter horror was present on the faces of both the Pharaoh and the Tomb Robber as the woman suddenly called out in surprise. Her eyes grew wide, and she all but collapsed in the water. A young girl dropped a jug, spilling warm water down the smooth marble steps as the cry of pain was heard. Leaving it, she ran up the gently sloping stairs, trailed by two others.

"My lady!" exclaimed the woman wearing the braided gold on her dress.

Yami felt his heart tighten. The beautiful lady was obviously in pain and he was torn between not wanting to be caught spying on her and helping her. He took a step forward from behind the tree, his curiosity and conscience winning over sense and reason.

"Call the High Priest!" shouted a voice.

The girl who had been carrying the jug ran towards the Pharaoh without even noticing him. Yami gasped as she ran straight through him. That couldn't have just happened.

"I told you they weren't real," said Bakura from behind him. He was leaning against the palm tree, his arms folded over his chest. "Now Pharaoh, I think it time we leave."

"But…"

The Pharaoh's reply was cut short as a strange purple mist surrounded them. The women seemed to freeze, and then fade from their sight completely to be replaced with infinite darkness. For a teasing second, Yami had truly believed that he was finally on the way to uncovering some answers about himself. It had been taken away even fasten.

* * *

Bakura had been staying at Yugi's for the last couple of nights. He simply couldn't face returning to his own apartment, what with all the memories of the Spirit of the Ring permeating everything. He was still fighting his guilt, unable to accept that this couldn't possibly be his fault.

Yugi had tried to put his friend's mind at rest, but Ryou was in a state. He really believed that he was the reason behind his yamis absence and the gang had decided not to mention the disappearance of Yami Yugi and the Millennium Items for fear of upsetting him even more. The last thing Ryou needed was to think that the Spirit of the Ring was part of a conspiracy and had tainted the Pharaoh too.

Bakura lay on the mat that was spread on the floor at the foot of Yugi's bed. It was placed directly below the window, and Ryou had requested that Yugi refrain from drawing the blind so that he could see the stars before he drifted off into his fitful bouts of slumber.

Recently, he had been having strange dreams about passing through clouds of dark smoke. Every so often he would catch a glimpse of something or someone. A flash of gold perhaps or maybe an arm or a leg. Last night he had dreamt of a beautiful woman playing in a pool of water.

Bakura turned and pulled the sheets higher so that they were tucked under his chin. He was now facing Yugi who was sleeping peacefully. Bakura never would have guessed that inside the other hikaris head were the same fears of being abandoned and betrayed. Again.

* * *

Yami paced backwards and forwards, driving the other dark quite insane. Ever since he had seen the woman in the water, the Pharaoh had been acting strangely. Well, stranger than usual. His brow had been creased with a perpetual frown and his lips were pursed in thought.

"Tomb Robber – did you recognise the woman?" he asked finally after what seemed like hours of silence. In the Shadow Realm it could have been weeks.

Bakura shrugged. "She did look somewhat familiar."

In truth, Bakura had also been desperately trying to work put who she was. At first, he had simply pushed his curiosity to the back of his mind, but the more he tried to ignore her, the more she haunted his thoughts.

"Can you remember who she is?"

"Pharaoh, why do you care so much about her? She is nothing more than an illusion."

But even Bakura knew that she was more than an illusion. There was a reason that the Shadow Realm had revealed her to them. She had to have been more than a wealthy conquest or clandestine consort.

Yami grabbed Bakura by the shoulders and hissed at him. "She is real – I know it. She is someone important to me!" Yami calmed himself slightly before talking again. "She spoke about the Pharaoh, and of the High Priest, spirit. She must be someone that means something to me!"

Bakura roughly shook himself from Yami's grasp. "Pharaoh! Get a hold on yourself! The shadows show you one moment in time and you think it holds some great relevance to your life? Gat over yourself! How many pharaohs and priests have their been through the ages? Hundreds – perhaps even thousands and she could be talking about anyone of them!"

Bakura gripped his wrist and was about to rant and rave at the Pharaoh some more when he was struck by a vision in his mind.

* * *

Flashback

Bakura found himself in a dark tomb, the only light being emitted from several torches mounted on bricked walls covered in hieroglyphics that he was too far away to make out. The fire flickered, casting dark shadows over everything, bathing it in a familiar golden glow. Crying could be heard, which echoed eerily through the bare tomb.

Bakura turned to find the source of the noise and found a young woman crouched over a sarcophagus. She held onto it as though it were a real person, salty tears dripping from her face onto the golden grave. The Spirit of the Ring began to approach the woman silently.

_Why does this feel so familiar to me?_

"My lord – why did you leave me?" she sobbed.

Long black hair fell over her shoulders, contrasting completely with the bright white of her dress. Her tan skin shone bronze in the dim light.

"My lady," came a voice that sounded exactly like Bakura's. "What would you give to be with your love again?" Bakura wanted to clamp a hand over his mouth, but for some reason it felt as though he himself were not in control of his own body.

The woman looked up and her eyes met with his.

He had seen those eyes before – _this had all happened before!_

"I would do anything," she admitted, her eyes pleading with him.

"Even give up your claim to the throne?" he asked darkly.

As her eyes widened, everything seemed to move in slow motion for Bakura.

She gasped as he grabbed her wrist, and pulled her towards him, her hair flying behind her. She struggled in his arms for a moment – a second later, she was still and her blood stained his hands. A flash of silver was seen as a bloodied knife fell to the sand covered ground with a dull thud, the ruby liquid running into the dry earth.

"Spirit, are you alright?" Yami's voice broke through Bakura's vision, rescuing him from his past.

He was sweating and taking in deep breaths of air. He finally remembered who she was!

"You look as though you've seen a ghost," commented the other yami dryly. The other spirit did indeed look worse for wear – he was paler than usual and his eyes had a wild look in them.

Bakura didn't even try to smile. His breath came in shaky pants and his body was trembling. What he had seen couldn't have been true – could it?

There was just no way that what the shadows had shown had actually happened.

But try as he might, Bakura couldn't shake the feeling that three millennia ago he killed the Queen of Egypt.

_Three thousand years ago, he had murdered Yami's mother…

* * *

_

Finally! We find out who that woman is. I wasn't going to tell you yet, but I thought what the hell! I was also a bit worried that some of you might think that she was Yami's wife or something…

A/N does anyone happen to know the names of the Pharaoh's parents? Could you please leave the answer in a review? Please?


	7. Chapter 7

I'd Die For You

"Ryou! Ryou wake up!" Yugi shook the other hikari by the shoulders vigorously, trying to wake him from an obviously bad dream.

Yugi had been called back into consciousness by the cries of the British boy in the midst of his sleep. He had climbed out of bed, and was now fighting against his flailing limbs, all the while trying to rescue him from his nightmare.

"Ryou!" he called again.

The eyes flew open, wide with fear. Ryou clutched at Yugi tightly, pulling himself into the other boys' embrace. Ryou sobbed into Yugi's shoulder, the tears soaking into the cotton nightclothes.

"Shh, it's okay Ryou," comforted Yugi. He held Ryou closer to him, whispering in his ear while stroking his soft hair. "It was just a bad dream, that's all." Yugi wondered what could have gotten into his friend to make him act this way – so full of terror.

Ryou shook his head. "It was more than I dream, Yugi," wailed Ryou. "I know it was real!" Ryou's body was trembling against his, his cries echoing in the dark room. "She's dead, Yugi."

"Who's dead?" asked Yugi, now somewhat worried.

"She's dead!" exclaimed Ryou again, but he had a lost look about him.

"Who?" Yugi repeated, trying to break through to Ryou. He wasn't sure if the other boy could even hear him anymore.

"I don't know – but it's all my fault," Ryou closed his eyes in an attempt to shut out the world, but he couldn't get away from the blood – so much blood.

"Ryou, that's not possible," said Yugi gently, hoping to calm the other boy.

"It is! The Spirit of the Ring – he killed her!"

"How?"

"There was blood!" declared Ryou loudly.

"Ryou…"

"Blood!"

Yugi lowered his head to see the wild look in Ryou's eyes. It looked like he wasn't even there anymore.

"Ryou, please…"

"Blood! So much blood," exclaimed Ryou, desperately clinging to Yugi. "It's everywhere!" Ryou let out a terrified scream, before his body spasmed and he fainted, still holding onto Yugi.

Yugi's heart pounded against his chest. His own breath came in deep pants. What was happening to Bakura? He had never seen him like this before. Yugi was truly scared for his friend. Whatever was happening to him had to have something to do with the Millennium Items and their disappearance, why else would he be having dreams of the Spirit of the Ring?

But what did this dream mean? Was that all it was – a dream, or was it something else – a vision perhaps. Yugi was worried. Whatever they were facing was obviously a power they had not come across before, something dark and strong. But as troubled as Yugi was about Ryou's nightmare, there was something else that worried him even more.

Why was it that Ryou was having visions of his yami – who had never been particularly close to him – and where was his?

* * *

Ishizu Istar sat humming quietly to herself while she brushed through her dark hair. It was late, and she was tired, but this new ritual that she had adopted when her family finally moved out from the shadows served to relax her – something she was in great need of.

She had hoped that being amongst those on the surface would help her brother and make him happy. For a short time, that appeared to be the case. Marik, Odion and she had been staying in Domino for a short period while accommodation in Egypt was being arranged after the Battle City Tournament. Marik had been calmer, and content.

Since their return to their homeland however, things had changed. Marik grew sad to the point where even Odion could not lighten his spirits. He ceased to laugh, and once even spoke of going back underground.

Lately, things had been even worse. Marik had been acting jumpy and nervous – as though he had some great secret that he was keeping. Although she no longer possessed her Millennium Necklace, Ishizu did still have her intuition – something had almost never failed her before.

And right now, it was telling her something was very wrong with her brother. She had also been feeling very uneasy. It was as though something bad was coming – something that would change the fate of the world. If whatever this was to be stopped, it was likely that the Pharaoh's help would be needed. And if she was right about some new evil about to emerge, the Millennium Necklace should have already informed her king. Even so, as the guardian's of his tomb, it was the duty of the Istar clan to aid the Pharaoh.

That would mean a return to Domino, and hopefully, that in turn would make Marik happy again.

Ishizu closed her eyes. "Ra, please watch over my brother and the Pharaoh."

"Not even Ra will be able to protect them when I'm done with you."

Ishizu gasped as a hand closed over her mouth, robbing her of speech as she opened her eyes. Her hand dropped the wooden brush onto the floor as she felt something cold touch her back. It was a knife.

"Unless you wish to take your last breath you will do as I say, understand?"

Ishizu nodded, silently cursing herself for not noticing the man that was now behind her.

"Alert anyone to my presence and your life is mine," the hand was slowly taken from her mouth, but the tip of the blade was pressed harder into her flesh. Taking her headdress from the table, the hooded man placed it on top of her head, covering her eyes. "Tell me woman, where are your Millennium Items?"

Although blind, Ishizu remained haughty. "I am no longer in possession of those things."

The back of her head met with the back of a hand. "Don't play games with me, woman. I know that as a Tomb Keeper you were given Items to protect – now where are they?" the man hissed.

"They are gone – back to the one they belong to." Ishizu felt tears sting her eyes as her head was yanked back roughly by her hair. "They are with the Pharaoh now."

"Then you will seek out the Items for me, or your family will suffer," threatened the cloaked man. "I will only keep for as long as you are useful." The knife was pushed ever so slightly more.

Ishizu was thrown onto the floor unceremoniously, her headdress falling from the top of her head. She scrambled to her feet and look around wildly hoping to find the man who had attacked her but couldn't see anyone. There was no trace of the hidden man, but Ishizu could still feel the sting of cold metal on her bare skin telling her that she had not imaged what had occurred.

"Marik!" she shouted, her voice trembling from fear and anger.

* * *

"Tomb Robber, are you certain that you are well?" questioned Yami.

"Why Pharaoh, you almost sound concerned," answered Bakura sardonically.

Bakura had managed to compose himself enough so that the pair could continue walking, although the dark spirit was still unsure as to their final destination he knew that it would be much worse if they stayed in one place for too long.

Yami chuckled slightly. "As you said, thief – almost." In truth however, he was rather concerned for the other yami. He had never seen him so scared or unsure. It was strange to see him that way, but Yami supposed that it was an effect of the Shadow Realm.

Bakura was not faring as well as he appeared. He was still shaken about what he had seen, and uncertain as to whether or not he should tell the Pharaoh. He almost laughed at himself – tell the Pharaoh? No, he would not speak of the woman again unless it was necessary and he was in doubt as to whether or not he was her murderer.

"Pharaoh, if you keep this up, I may start to believe that you actually care about me," said Bakura sarcastically, trying to take his mind off his new memory.

Yami was silent for a moment, trying to decide how to respond. He was unsure of how he felt, but in the end he didn't answer at all, as his thoughts were invaded by singing.

"Can you hear that?" he asked abruptly, turning to look behind him.

"Hear what?" questioned Bakura, but by then the Pharaoh had already started running in the opposite direction. "Oh Ra, no!" cried Bakura as he noticed the swirling purple fog that began to surround the Pharaoh. "Pharaoh!" he shouted, but by now he was too far away to hear.


	8. Chapter 8

I'd Die For You

The sound of soft singing echoed in the Pharaoh's ears as he ran swiftly through the shadows. He had no idea how long he had been running, nor did he care. All he knew was that he had to find the source of the noise. In the back of his mind he could hear another voice calling for him, but he ignored it, too deeply absorbed in his current task.

"Where are you?" he asked himself as he pursued the voice. He was in no doubt that it belonged to the mysterious woman from earlier and he could only hope that he would be able to find her, and more importantly, find out who she was and why she seemed so familiar to him.

Sunlight broke through the dark clouds that hid his way, and Yami suddenly found himself inside a strange room. Yami stopped and looked around. It reminded him of his various soul rooms, candles throwing strange shadows over the golden walls which were covered in chiselled depictions. In the centre of the room was what looked to be a large stone table worn smooth with time and use, which was surrounded by standing torches of fire. The table was covered in carvings, many which seemed somewhat familiar to him and mirrored those on the walls.

"Make way for the Queen!" shouted a voice.

Yami turned and saw a door pulled open by two thin slaves, branded on the shoulders with the mark of the King. As the entrance was opened a tall and imposing man entered, his arms outstretched in a show of his power and importance. He wore a tall hat, similar to that he remembered Kaiba was pictured wearing on the stone tablet that Ishizu had shown him. Yami guessed that he was the High Priest who had been previously spoken of. Behind him, the first lady of the woman he had seen bathing was following. In her arms was the woman, leaning heavily on her maid. Behind the two was a train of her other women, carrying strange metal items, jugs, basins and crisp linen towels.

"Set the Queen there," motioned the man to the stone table.

Yami suddenly realised that the woman was the Queen. He couldn't help but stare at her, her face held in pain. His eyes dropped, and Yami saw that one hand was placed over her stomach – which betrayed signs of holding a child.

"She is with child?" Yami all but whispered to himself. He had not noticed her condition earlier, but then she had been half submersed in water.

The Queen was helped so that she lay flat on the stone, and a cry of pain escaped her. "Please, call the King," she pleaded.

"You heard her!" barked the tall man as he pointed to the door. Two young girls ran out, dropping their jars, to find the Pharaoh.

"My lady, fear not – the High Priest is here," spoke the first lady who was knelt at her feet and clutching her hand.

"Aa!" the Queen exclaimed, her hands grasping the sides of the table.

"The child will not wait – it is time," announced the High Priest. He waved his arms and the torches in the room flared brightly. It seemed as though the room itself was on fire.

The servant woman began to pray loudly to the gods to protect her lady – to give her strength for the things to come.

"My Queen, are you ready?" the High Priest asked her.

"Ye – yes," she breathed, sweat dripping off her forehead.

Moments later, Yami couldn't see anything for the High Priest and all the attendants surrounded the Queen. The only things he could hear above the roar of the flames were the shouts of the priest and the cries of the Queen.

"The child!" someone exclaimed. "The child is not breathing!"

"My child – you must save my child!" sobbed the Queen, exhausted from the trials of the birth.

"Summon the others – quickly!" demanded the High Priest.

The congregation broke as the group dispersed to find those the High Priest spoke of. Agitated shouting could be heard along the outer corridors, along with desperate cries for help.

"Where are the Priests?"

"Call the magicians!"

"The High Priest summons the Masters."

Yami was trembling as he laid his eyes on the woman. The Queen was covered in blood and sweat. She held out her arms for her baby, but it was in the hands of the High Priest, eyes closed and unmoving.

Seconds later, five important looking people entered, dressed similarly to the High Priest. Yami noticed that they were each carrying a Millennium Item.

"Quickly – if we hurry we can reclaim his soul," ordered the High Priest. He looked up as another man appeared at the door. Around his neck was the Millennium Puzzle.

"My King, thank the gods you are here. Give the child your Item."

The Pharaoh was tall and broad shouldered, a dark tan covering the skin on his well muscled body. Although his torso was naked, his head was covered in a cowl as a mark of respect to both his wife, the priests and the dark powers that were contained in the room.

The High Priest lay the baby on the floor, in the centre of a stone circle with strange yet familiar markings etched around the outside. Yami gasped as he realised that it was the Seal of the Oricalchos!

The Pharaoh placed the Puzzle next to his child and then moved to be with his wife.

"Fear not – the child will be spared, even if I must sacrifice my own soul in exchange for his," he ground out. At his words his lady gave another wail. "I promise no harm will come to our son," he vowed as he took her hand in his and kissed her gently on her forehead, but his words did little to sooth the fear in his Queen's heart.

The six Items Bearers moved so that each stood on a point of the Oricalchos symbol, with the High Priest at the highest point. As they reached them, each point shone brightly, and the Millennium Items released a spark of light which moved towards the baby. The small dots of light formed three rings around the child and began to spin round and round the baby, moving faster and faster with each passing moment. At the same time, the three rings of the Oricalchos Seal began to move in the same way until the markings became a bright green blur.

Each of the six raised their Items skywards and an eerie green glow began to pulse along the markings of the Seal. The Millennium Items each began to shine a bright gold as a low hum filled the air. The other five began to chant over and over in an ancient dialect – even older than Egyptian as the High Priest began to cast his enchantment. Above the voices of the five, the sound of the High Priest could be heard echoing in the firey room.

"_Sacred Seal, by the power of the gods, I bid you hear my plea, _

_Seek out the spirit of this child and return the soul to his body."_

The light from the Items grew even brighter and in a flash of gold, the baby began to rise from the centre of the Seal. It was as though he was being lifted by the light from the Items, and a reflection of the Seal formed around him, the sparks finding their way to the points. Small rays of light began to flow from each spark, forming the lines of the Oricalchos. A green beam shot forth from the heavens, showing the way for the child's lost soul. The Millennium Puzzle exploded in a fire of white light, its rays blinding everyone in the room for a moment.

As the light faded, the six around the circle fell to their knees, their energy drained. At first, the only sound that could be heard were the Queen's whimpers, which betrayed her fears that her child had already departed their realm and her magicians had been too late. The King held her close, his head bowed in sadness and his fists clenched in anger.

"Wah!" he first cry of a newborn child resonated loudly through the room, breaking the silence. The Pharaoh raised his head suddenly and raced to the centre of the Seal. With an exclamation of both happiness and relief, he picked up his child and held him in the centre of the circle.

"My friends, I thank you for rescuing my son," he told them, his gratitude present in his face as well as his words. Summoning his servants to see to the needs of his priests, he returned the child to his wife who wept with joy at the sight of her son.

"My child – my light," she cried with happiness, the tears splashing the face of her baby. He continued to cry with hunger and fatigue. The Queen choked back her tears and laughed as she spoke to him. "Don't cry, my child. Don't cry, my Ametu."

Yami felt the blood drain from his face as he was struck by a succession of memories of this woman which filled his mind.

Flash

_The Queen calling to him by that name, her arms held out._

"_Ametu!"_

Flash

_Her holding him, soothing and consoling him."_

"_Do not weep, my Ametu."_

Flash

_The was woman playing with him and the two of them laughing gaily together._

"_I love you, Ametu – my child…"_

"Shh, peace Ametu," she comforted as he cried in her arms, dangling a finger in front of him which he grasped tightly.

Yami finally remembered the Queen who sat before him, a baby in her arms and the Pharaoh by her side.

This woman was his mother, and he had just witnessed his own birth.


	9. Chapter 9

I'd Die For You

Thanks for the reviews!

**YamiMisao** – I actually haven't decided on the final pairings, but I have a few that I will be introducing – hopefully – fairly soon. Please bear in mind that those pairings may not be the ones at the end and enjoy! I'll try and get some Darkshipping into the fic for you, though!

**Hikari Skysong** – I hope you don't mind, but I put your one of your reviews into this chapter! It was just perfect for what I wanted to do (it's in bold). Oh – and you get to see what happened to Bakura while all of this was going on.

**Amesis** – you're welcome for the name thing and I'm really glad you like this fic so much.

And to everyone else who has reviewed, or is reading this story – thank you and I hope you like!

* * *

Marik eyed his sister with a tinge of anxiety. For a few days now she had been acting strange – she seemed nervous, jumpy and when he had asked her what was wrong, she stuttered.

Ishizu never stuttered.

All this gave Marik the distinct impression that something was bothering his sister. He only hoped that she had not figured out what he had been hiding from her, Odion and everyone else he knew for that matter. Marik Istar suddenly felt very alone, and that he was in way over his head.

Sure, planning world domination was a cinch – preventing catastrophe – now that was hard. Especially since this time they didn't have the Pharaoh on this side of the Shadow Realm. When he had given in to his dark side, all had seemed so simple – do anything to achieve the final goal. It didn't matter who you hurt or used, just as long as you succeeded in the end. But being good…it was all about sacrifice, of caring for someone else even more than for yourself.

_How can you care for someone when your not even sure if they feel the same way about you?_

"Master Marik."

Marik jumped out of his thoughts and turned to see Odion approaching him. He gave his long time friend and now, brother a smile in greeting.

"What is it, Odion?" he asked, hoping that his voice did not betray any of his thoughts.

"I was just wondering as to your feelings with regards to your sister," he explained taking a seat beside him.

Marik frowned. He had already guessed that Odion would ask him such a question. He, like himself, had noticed the change in Ishizu, and Marik knew that the tall Egyptian would be worried.

"I don't know… she hasn't spoken to me since the announcement," admitted Marik.

Odion nodded. A few days ago, Ishizu had told them that she intended for them to return to Domino City for something of the utmost importance, although she did not explain what exactly. Marik himself had guessed that it had something to do with whatever had caused the Pharaoh to return his Millennium Rod and ask for himself to be sealed in the Shadow Realm.

But that didn't explain why Bakura had to be sealed as well. Bakura had become such an enigma to him lately. As much as Marik hated to admit, he had become quite taken with the ancient tomb robber during Battle City when they had shared his vessel's body.

And then after Battle City…

Marik had hoped that something may develop, and for a short time, it did. Bakura and he became sort of a couple. Okay, so it wasn't a conventional relationship and when they weren't making out they were making (yes in _that_ way – read 'Anybody But You' if you wanna know more…) because they were arguing like they always had done, but that had been part of the thrill of it. The fact that Bakura refused to yield to him earned him his respect.

But then he had moved back to Egypt. Their relationship, if it could even be called that, deteriorated until Bakura hardly spoke to him and when the two happened to cross paths it was as if nothing had ever occurred between the two. Marik had wanted to question Bakura about this, but he never knew what to say, and now he feared it was too late.

He had sealed him in the Shadow Realm with no way to contact him or make sure that he was alright. Marik sighed softly to himself. He could only hope that the journey to Domino would clear his mind and provide some answers to the questions that filled his mind.

Looking idly out of the window Marik resolved to put all those thoughts out of his head for the time being. He needed some sleep and the empty carriage in the train to Domino that Ishizu had somehow procured seemed perfect for him to catch up on some much needed rest.

Ra knows he would need it.

* * *

Bakura growled with frustration as he searched blindly for the Pharaoh. It wasn't enough that he had to be sent here with him in the first place, but now he had to act like a babysitter to his former enemy and prosecutor.

"Stupid baka Pharaoh…" he muttered to himself.

Bakura, needless to say, was not finding his reckless behaviour in the least bit amusing. Well, maybe a bit, but at the moment it was a whole lot more irritating than endearing.

"**Stupid Pharaoh. Has he never been in the Shadow Realm before? Stupid baka isn't supposed to run after strange sounds**," he mumbled some more.

Yeah, Bakura was feeling pretty pissed with Yami at the minute. As far as he could see, all this was his damned to Ra fault anyway. Bakura had been ready to start again – become a new man and reform from his criminal ways. After what happened with Ryou, he had decided to stop seeing Marik and change for the sake of his hikari. He had been planning to put his past behind him, and embark on a new life. But no…The Pharaoh just had to _'sense'_ some new threat and drag him into it – he wasn't even part of the good guy team! Now, not only was he in the most dangerous realm with a baka of a partner but he was also beginning to recover memories that he had long since forgotten. Purposefully.

So three thousand years ago he was a bad man. He had killed Yami's mother. Big deal! That was a long time ago and all in the past. Did that really matter now? Bakura didn't think so, and believed that his past was better forgotten, but that didn't stop the Shadow Realm from reminding him of his past evils…

Bakura had been running for what felt like miles, but he still couldn't figure out whether or not he had made any progress in his search for the wayward Pharaoh. It wasn't like the idiot had left a trail and the damned place was always filled with purple smoke which Bakura had always found pointless.

"Blasted Shadow Realm!" he shouted suddenly. Nope, this was definitely not a good day for Bakura, and it was about to get worse.

As Bakura ran on, he suddenly felt a searing pain shoot through his mind. The Spirit of the Millennium Ring grabbed his head in both hands as he sank to his knees with a cry of agony. Drowsily, his eyes began to close and darkness descended upon him – and then…

…_blood!_

_So much blood… why is there so much blood?_

It was everywhere, surrounding him. Bakura tried to run, but found himself sinking in the sticky liquid. It started around his ankles, but pretty soon it was too his knees. Struggling among the waves of deep claret, he called out for help, but knew that no one would hear him as it reached up to waist height.

"_Did you hear my cries for help?"_ shouted a voice.

Bakura searched madly for the origins, but saw no one, only more blood. It was as though he were in an ocean of it – it was all he could see for miles. Slowly, the dark liquid crept up past his torso and chest.

"_Did you ever stop to hear me beg?"_ came another voice.

Bakura spun around, sending cascades of the red water in all directions in bloodied arches.

"Where are you?" he called out.

More voices echoed around him, merging together as they laughed darkly.

"_Where are we?"_

More laughter. Bakura panicked as the sticky water began to lap at his neck.

" _Why spirit, we are a part of you."_

"Leave me alone!" cried Bakura as he felt himself slowly being pulled under the thick liquid. He could taste it in his mouth and he gave a shiver. It was still warm.

"_You didn't leave me alone!"_ replied the voice angrily and Bakura felt something grab at him, although he couldn't see anything besides the blood.

"I don't want to hear anymore of this," whimpered Bakura, still clutching his head with his bloodied hands.

"_You didn't listen to me when I told you to stop!"_

"Please…" his ghostly white skin and hair had been dyed red by blood.

"_Did you ever think about me?"_

"Stop…"

"_No, you were only thinking of yourself…"_

Bakura struggled for air as he felt the sticky fluid being forced into his lungs.

The last thing he heard was a mixture of voices that he vaguely remembered.

"It can't be!"

"_You did this to me…"_

"No…"

"…_it's all your fault…"_

"Please!"

"…_I hate you…"_

And then the red turned to white and white faded to black.


	10. Chapter 10

I'd Die For You

Thanks again for all the reviews!

**Dereck **– thanks for giving me the name of Yami's father! That is a really big help – it means that when I talk about him I won't have to keep typing in 'Yami's father' or 'the Pharaoh,' which is sorta how I've had to do it with his mother.

**Hikari Skysong** – I am so happy that you didn't mind me putting in your review – I'm so glad it made you feel special! Asking about Bakura? Again? Heh, you'll see…

**YamiMisao** – Ah, the voices…people tell me they're all in my head. Oh! The voices in the fic? I can't tell you just yet – but soon…

A/N does anyone know if Bakura actually has an Egyptian name? Can you let me know please?

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Yugi was worried. Lately, Ryou had been suffering from a series of blackouts where he would have strange visions. Not only that, but the other hikari had also been finding it difficult to sleep. In fact, Ryou was terrified of it. The nightmares that he has been experiencing of late had begun to come faster and more frequently. From how Ryou reacted to them, they were also becoming more intense. Most nights now, Ryou would wake up numerous times in one night screaming at some spectre that only he could see, and yet could not identify.

Tonight would prove to be no different. Yugi lay awake in his bed, listening to the sound of Ryou's gentle breathing through the floorboards. Ryou now stayed downstairs during the night, hoping to avoid sleep, but as much as he tried to deny it, Ryou was exhausted.

"Please, don't hurt Ryou anymore…" said Yugi to whatever kind spirit was listening.

Yugi's eyes grew heavy, but as began to drift into unconsciousness, he could have sworn he heard something. It sounded like footsteps, but Ryou had fallen asleep on the sofa again, and Grampa had gone to visit his good friend Professor Hawkins.

_Maybe I'm just being paranoid…yeah, it must be that.

* * *

_

Downstairs, Ryou had indeed fallen into the arms of sleep, but not the restful sort. Every so often, his eye twitched and cries of fear would escape him. His 'dreams' as Yugi called them, were steadily worsening to the point where when he was awake his mind would be filled with the same visions seen at night. But Ryou knew that they were more than just nightmares. They were too detailed and felt too real not to be so.

_Blood…_

…_so much blood._

It was all Ryou could do not to drown in his sleep.

* * *

Yami was stood on a hill overlooking the River Nile. Soon after witnessing his own origins, he had found himself overcome by shadows again. When the purple smoke – which he was beginning to find exceedingly tedious – finally cleared, he had been standing exactly where he was now.

His shadow stretched out far behind him and a gentle breeze played with his flame shaped locks. It was all so peaceful and Yami felt strangely comfortable. It felt as though it was something he had once been used to. The sweet sound of birds singing floated to his ears, and Yami breathed in the scent of the baked earth.

The sun beat down on him, and Yami stripped himself of his leather jacket. Lying it down on the grass, he proceeded to sit on it, revelling in the warmth of the sun. The sound of laughter could be heard, and Yami shielded his eyes with his hand and searched for the source.

On the bank of the Nile, he saw a movement and stood up again. From his vantage point on the hill, he could clearly see a group of women – most of whom were plainly dressed. One wore a linen gown decorated with golden braiding along the hems. The last of them wore a hooded cloak, but when it was removed, Yami saw that it was the Queen.

"Mother…" he whispered.

Yami could see her talking with her first lady, who handed her a small wicker basket. He began to walk closer, knowing from earlier experience that he was completely invisible to them. The crisp grass crunched beneath his feet as he neared the gathering.

"My lady, the King will not be pleased if he discovers us out here…"

The Queen smiled at her brightly as she took placed the basket on the bank. "Lydia, you worry yourself too much! He will never even know of our absence." She flipped her hair behind her ear and waved a hand at her other servants – who were also providing too much of a fuss – dismissively.

"But, the baby," replied Lydia.

"Will be fine." Reaching into the basket, the Queen lifted out the baby Yami – no, not Yami – _Ametu_. The baby gurgled with delight as the Queen spun him in the air, the strange coloured eyes flashing brightly. "Oh, my Ametu – how I love you." She pulled the baby close to her body. "I promise to treasure you forever, my young light."

The Queen passed the baby back to Lydia and began to untie the knotted cord that hung around her waist.

"My Queen! What are you doing?" asked Lydia incredulously.

"Oh, come now! It is only a quick swim. Besides," said the Queen tickling baby Ametu. "Our little prince needs to be bathed." As she started to pull the brown gown off her body, the Queen suddenly gave a cry of pain and doubled over.

"My lady!" exclaimed Lydia. Hurriedly, she placed Ametu back into his basket, which also acted as his cradle, and went to the Queen followed by the other servants.

Yami stopped in his tracks.

_Was this meant to happen? This wasn't supposed to happen, was it?_

As all the ladies attended to the stricken Queen, no one noticed when baby Ametu climbed out of his basket and began to crawl along the bank, playfully chasing a pair of emerald coloured frogs.

"Oh no!"

Ametu slipped, falling into a sharp meander in the Nile. The current was moving very quickly and almost immediately, Ametu was caught up in the flow. His loud crying alerted the Queen to his danger and her pain gone and replaced by nothing but primal fear for the safety of her child. Completely forgetting all else, the Queen dived in after her baby, despite the pleas of her maids.

Yami began to sprint down the hill.

_This couldn't be happening!_

The Queen managed to swim over to her child and scooped him up. Placing him in the crook of her elbow, she struggled to make her way back to the bank. Finally succeeding, she passed him over to her servants as the waves battered against her body, which she used to shield her son.

"Take him!" she pleaded.

"My lady!" Lydia tried to grab her by the wrist, but she was caught by the next current and pulled away from the bank and over towards the rapids.

Instinct over taking his logic, Yami jumped into the raging river after his mother, forgetting that he had no control over any of these events.

"Mother!" he shouted, feeling himself being pulled under by the strength of the water flow. He reached out his hand, and just as his fingers touched those belonging to his mother's, the sky turned dark and the river became much more violent.

Clouds swarmed together, swallowing the light from the sun. As the dark swirls merged in the sky, Yami saw a bolt of lightning shoot forth from the skies. The clear water slowly began to change colour until it was the deepest of reds. Yami thought that it looked like blood. A while later, he realised it was.

Now, he could barely see his mother, but her servants pursued her, screaming over the sounds of thunder.

"_We must save the Queen!"_

Their desperate cries ringing in his ears, Yami began to swim towards her, fighting against the powerful current that threatened to tear his limbs from his body.

"_My lady!"_

Suddenly, the Queen's head emerged from amongst the claret waves, struggling to keep her head above the water. But as Yami tried again to help her, he noticed someone else being pummelled by the wild river.

"_The Queen!"_

Although he was now covered in the red liquid, there was no mistaking that the new body in the foaming river was none other than the ancient thief king Bakura.

"Bakura!" he called, but it was no use. The Spirit of the Ring was unconscious his body tossed about the waves like a small boat in the eye of a storm. It seemed as though any second his body could be snapped in two like the mast of a ship by the raging tempest.

"_Save the Queen!"_

Yami felt torn. He wanted to save both Bakura and his mother, but knew that he could only rescue one. Closing his eyes briefly to pray, Yami could only hope that he had made the right choice as he began his desperate swim. The red waves slashed at him – trying to stop him and drown him.

But his choice made, Yami knew there was no turning back. The Queen drifted further and further from him, Bakura following close behind. Setting his sights on his target, Yami fought bravely through the volatile waters…


	11. Chapter 11

I'd Die For You

Thank you all for reviewing, I really, really love hearing from you all!

**Hikari Skysong** - blinks eyes you think I'm evil? Well, let me tell you – you haven't seen anything yet. Just wait until you see what I have in store for everyone.

**YamiMisao** – good news! You get to find out who he saves!

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – by Ra! I haven't heard from you in AGES! I'm glad to see you're still reading the fic!

A/N in one review I got told that Bakura's Egyptian name is just the same, but in another it was 'Akefia.' I'm not sure myself, so I'll use the Egyptian name for the Thief King Bakura as it will make it more authentic – in my opinion, but that's just me.

* * *

Choice made, Yami knew there was no turning back. The Queen drifted further and further from him, Bakura following close behind.

"May the gods forgive, for I forsake my own mother to save a past enemy…"

Pushing through the rocky waves, Yami swam to where Bakura was being dragged under. Just as his head was slipping below the surface of the water, Yami grabbed him with arm around the waist, and used the other to pull them towards the bank.

"Almost there…" he said through gritted teeth, trying to keep the salty taste of warm blood out of his mouth.

As they reached the edge, Yami hoisted Bakura onto the moist bank before climbing out of the bloody river himself. His legs managed to carry him two steps before giving way and he collapsed next to the tomb robber. Panting, he looked over to Bakura, his whole body stained with blood. Turning over the former thief, Yami noticed his blue lips and skin beneath the veneer of red clinging to him.

Still panting from his last ordeal, Yami placed a hand against Bakura's neck, searching for a pulse. He couldn't feel anything. _Bakura wasn't breathing_. Yami's own heart thumped against his ribcage. He may have had his differences with the tomb robber in the past, but right now, he needed him more than ever.

He couldn't let him die.

Moving so that he was knelt beside him, Yami popped open the buttons on Bakura's shirt, revealing once white skin that had been painted a deep shade of red. Pulling the fabric from his body, Yami proceeded to fold his hands one on top of the other over Bakura's heart. With a grunt of effort, Yami pushed down in time with his own heartbeat hoping to restart the failing organ.

"Please, Bakura…" he whispered shakily, his fear increasing by the second.

Waiting for a count of five after his ministrations, Yami lay his head onto Bakura's chest listening for signs of activity. _Nothing._ Yami frantically repeated his actions again and again, each time unsuccessful. With a sigh of half resignation and half resolve, Yami knew that there was nothing for it.

"I won't let you die."

The former Pharaoh slipped his hand under the back of Bakura's neck, using it to tilt up his face. Yami's other hand held the other spirit's chin, holding him steady. Taking a large breath, Yami then proceeded to lower his own head until his mouth was pressed against Bakura's. Forcing the lips as wide as he could manage, Yami then breathed into Bakura's mouth, propelling his own oxygen into the other's lungs.

Keeping his eyes open, he saw Bakura's chest rise slightly and removed his mouth, allowing the chest to fall. After taking another gulp of air, Yami did the same, all the while his mind was screaming at Bakura to breathe. What felt like an eternity later, Yami's endeavours were rewarded when the tomb robber began to splutter.

Yami fell backwards, catching himself with his hands as Bakura twisted his body so that his forehead was resting against the grass, coughing violently. The Pharaoh cringed when he saw the amount of blood that the tomb robber had swallowed. Yami could taste the bitter fluid in his own mouth and it turned his stomach. He hated to think how Bakura was feeling right now.

When Bakura finally finished emptying what seemed like the entire content of his lungs, Bakura began taking in huge gulps of air. When his lungs had been sufficiently replenished, he turned to stare at Yami.

"What happened?" he demanded, glaring moodily at the Pharaoh. The last thing he remembered was searching for the Pharaoh and then – it was all a blank. Well, if you ignored all the blood that seemed to have managed to find its way in the space between his ears.

Yami sighed in relief. From where he was sat watching Bakura, it appeared as though the tomb robber was no worse for what had happened. "I'm not certain," replied Yami. "But for some reason, the Nile turned to blood and you almost drowned in it."

Bakura barely heard him, too preoccupied with his state of half undress. "Pharaoh, why is my shirt like this?"

Yami looked to where he was pointing. "You weren't breathing," he said simply, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth and smearing blood across his face.

Bakura watched his actions curiously, and then felt his own lips which were also sticky with blood. Suddenly realisation dawned on him and Bakura leapt up from where he was seated and grabbed the Pharaoh by the front of his shirt, lifting him off the ground. "Pharaoh…" he ground out. "Did you kiss me?" he questioned angrily.

Yami considered his reply carefully. "If you mean, 'did I save your life by administering mouth to mouth resuscitation,' then yes."

Bakura dropped him to the ground in shock. "You kissed me!" he exclaimed, his pale skin turning redder than the blood that was pasted all over it.

"Tomb Robber, surely you're not embarrassed!" teased the Pharaoh. It wasn't often he was given the chance to mock the tomb robber.

"No!" replied Bakura a little too quickly.

Yami laughed. "You are!"

Bakura growled. Nearly drowning and then having to be rescued by the Pharaoh and receiving mouth to mouth was most definitely not on his 'to do' list. And now, the cocky Pharaoh was laughing at him. Unfortunately, he was unable to think clearly due to his annoyance at being caught out by the Pharaoh. His mind clouded, he began speaking without even thinking about what he was saying.

"Listen Pharaoh, just because I happen to like you does not mean I'm embarrassed that you kissed me," shouted Bakura in annoyance.

Yami stopped laughing abruptly. "What did you just say?" he questioned, his eyes wide in shock.

Bakura folded his arms over his chest, having not realised his admission. A smug look quirked to his lips, "I said I'm not embarrassed."

"No, before that – you said you like me."

Bakura faltered a bit and his face lost its smirk. "No I didn't."

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't!" replied Bakura indignantly.

"Yes, you did."

"No – I didn't!"

"_You did_."

"_Did not_."

Seeing as this was going nowhere, Yami decided to try a different tactic. "So you don't like me?"

"Of course I do!"

A look of triumph flashed onto Yami's face, and Bakura felt himself grow hotter.

"Damn you to Ra, Pharaoh!" he spat out.

Bakura stubbornly turned away from the Pharaoh and watched with mild shock as the Nile turned back from blood to water. Noting that he was feeling most uncomfortable as he was covered from head to toe in fast drying blood – not to mention having the Pharaoh's eyes boring holes into the back of his head, Bakura quickly decided that now would be a good time to do something more productive…

Yami, who had been watching him with interest trying to figure out what he would do next almost passed out when he saw what Bakura was currently occupying himself with.

"Tomb Robber! What in the name of Ra are you doing?" he exclaimed loudly.

* * *

This chapter was longer, but I decided to split it in two, partly because I am evil and partly because I didn't want you to die of boredom or something. R and R if you want the next chapter – the more I get, the faster I'll do it… 


	12. Chapter 12

I'd Die For You

Okay, you've all twisted my arm – I'm updating this one WHOLE day earlier than I had planned – just for you!

**Hikari Skysong** – that would depend on what you want. I still haven't decided on the final pairings yet, so things may change – I mean there's loads more to come, so who's to say what may happen?

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – I LOVE any and all reviews – a review can never be bad, (unless it's a flame, but even then at least someone's taking the time to talk to you). I'm still not sure what happens next myself to honest…

**Amessis** – wow! That's a great compliment. It's good that you're enjoying the fic so much! I'm writing – I really am, so expect another update soon!

**YamiMisao** – I'm pleased that you liked that bit – I was a bit worried that it was a bit too soon at first, but then I thought that I should just go ahead with it and see how it plays out…

* * *

Yami, who had been watching him with interest trying to figure out what he would do next almost passed out when he saw what Bakura was doing.

"Tomb Robber? What in the name of Ra are you doing?" he exclaimed loudly.

Bakura turned to see the Pharaoh – whose eyes were practically falling out of his head – staring at him incredulously.

Bakura, you see, had swiftly removed his shirt, which was barely hanging off his body anyway, and was currently in the process of stepping out of his jeans.

"What?" he asked.

Yami waved a hand rather uselessly at the thief. Bakura followed his point, and for the first time since, well a long time, smiled. As he did, he didn't notice Yami's eyes travel lower to gawk at him in his black boxers – it wasn't everyday that one of your enemies decides to strip off in front of you. Was this his reward for saving his life?

"Pharaoh, have you ever tried to remove dry blood from your clothing?" he questioned, neatly avoiding what he really wanted to ask as he dropped his garments into the now clear water of the Nile. The blood began to loosen and dye the river red once more, although it was easily carried to the Egyptian Sea.

Yami felt himself blush. _What had he been thinking?_ Well, on the one hand, he was wondering how Bakura knew about the problem with dried blood and clothes, then he remembered that this was Bakura he was thinking about and then he realised that he was thinking about thinking about Bakura and then on the other hand he was thinking about why Bakura seemed so comfortable taking his clothes off in front of him and then he remembered that this was Bakura he was thinking about and then he realised that he was thinking about thinking about Bakura again and this was repeated over and over in his head. He finally realised that while he was thinking this he hadn't been breathing and took a deep breath to calm himself. He was being ridiculous.

Bakura laughed as he scrubbed at his blood encrusted clothes. Then, satisfied that they were clean enough, set them on the bank of the Nile to dry in the sun that had started to re-emerge. Next, he slipped slowly into the warm river and cast an almost sultry gaze to the Pharaoh.

"Aren't you coming in?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Surely you're not embarrassed?"

Yami was unsure of what to do. Bakura had been having the weirdest mood swings since they had been here. But, seeing as he seemed to have lightened up and noticing the awful odour coming from himself, he decided that there would be no harm in simply bathing. Even so, Yami thought better of removing his own garments and entered the water fully clothed.

Bakura opened his mouth to comment, but before he could, Yami splashed him with a giant wave of water. The watery cascade soaked his hair, dislodging the blood which trickled over his face and down his body. With a low growl, he pounced on the Pharaoh and dunked him under the water.

"Hey! That wasn't fair!" spluttered Yami when he was finally released.

Bakura was faintly amused to see that although the Pharaoh's hair was wet through, it still maintained its wild, pointed style. He was almost tempted to touch the spiked locks, but he returned his attentions back to his current problem – the damned to Ra Pharaoh.

"Oh, and attacking someone when they're trying to wash their hair isn't?" Bakura retaliated.

"Well you're not doing a very good job," stated Yami motioning to his hair. "You missed a bit."

Bakura's eyes flew upwards, but even he couldn't see where the Pharaoh was talking about. "Where?" he asked, slightly annoyed that once again he was relying on the Pharaoh for help.

"Just there," said Yami pointing. Watching Bakura try and fail once more, he let out a deep sigh. "Come here," he commanded.

"Pharaoh, do you mock me? You can't order me around!"

Yami just shook his head in silent amusement and swam over to where Bakura was standing. Keeping his fixed eyes on Bakura at all times, he clamped one hand on top of his left shoulder. The tomb robber was slightly taller than him, so Yami had to stretch upwards slightly, and Bakura was alarmed to see how close the Pharaoh was getting to him.

"What are you doing?" asked Bakura nervously. It was one thing to touch him when it was necessary, but…

"Hold still," scolded Yami. Scooping up a handful of water, Yami poured it over where Bakura's soft hair was a tangled mess held together by dry blood. Gently, the Pharaoh rid the hair of blood, careful not to hurt Bakura by pulling too hard. As it was, Bakura found it all very relaxing. Tired from what had happened, Bakura fought against the urge to fall asleep.

He was snapped back into reality when the Pharaoh suddenly stopped and began drawing back. As he did, he was stopped abruptly by Bakura who snatched up his shirt in one hand, and then the other. Bakura's eyes were focused on a point directly over Yami's shoulder, deliberately avoiding those belonging to the Pharaoh. Jerkily, Bakura pulled the Pharaoh closer to him, until they were almost touching.

"Er… spirit?"

Bakura didn't say anything. He actually couldn't say anything. What he was planning to do took all his determination, resolve and will. Closing his eyes shut tightly, he proceeded to place a quick but firm kiss on Yami's mouth. Yami felt the soft lips on top of his and began to melt into the kiss, but almost as soon as it started, it stopped.

As Bakura pulled back, he whispered very quietly to the Pharaoh.

"Thank you…"

Although for what Yami couldn't possibly fathom for his mind was too exhausted and too full of questions, mainly centring around one thing.

_What in Ra's name was that?_

"What in Ra's name was that?" asked the Pharaoh quite shocked. "You just kissed me!" he said in disbelief.

Bakura had already waded quite a distance away from the Pharaoh, but he turned slightly so that Yami could see his profile in the bright sunlight. Yami wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a blush stain his pale cheeks.

"Surely you're not embarrassed?" he replied in perhaps the most infuriatingly annoying tone known to man. It reminded him of Kaiba when he was winning in their duels. "Besides," he added. "Now we're even."

Performing a graceful duck dive, Bakura dived under the water and swam to remainder of the way to the bank. Once there, he proceeded to exit the river. Checking his clothes, but finding them still too damp to wear, Bakura made his way closer to the hill. Finding a spot directly in the path of the warm sun, Bakura lay himself down.

"I think I'll take a brief rest," he told no one in particular, although it was directed towards the general vicinity of the Pharaoh.

Yami just stared.

This was just _way_ too bizarre. He touched his fingers to his lips, which still tingled from the brief but sweet kiss. As strange as it was, Yami didn't feel embarrassed at all.

But if it wasn't embarrassment that was making him so hot and flustered – _what was it?_


	13. Chapter 13

I'd Die For You

Ah… thank you for all the reviews! So many (well for me anyway…) I am now as high as a kite and to show my appreciation I am offering unto you – another early update!

**Hikari Skysong** – fear not, for the time being our beloved friends will be too overcome with various crises to be able to try to initiate any relationships – I think. And I don't want to ruin the plot or anything but, oh I can't tell you yet!

**Amessis** – thank you. I am writing when I can find the time and the inspiration and I can tell you now that the next few chapters should be fairly lengthy. I'm gad you like!

**YamiMisao** – oh! All your compliments are going straight to my head. Now I believe that I can do anything and control all the forthcoming events in this story. It's like I have become an all powerful authoress!

**The Evil Monkey of Doom** (a.k.a. Sophie-chan) – yay! A new reader/ reviewer! I'm so glad you like my fic so much, and as you can see I am updating right now! I wouldn't worry about the voices in your head – mine keep me company on cold lonely days…

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – as I said earlier, I love your reviews, I don't think they're bad at all! Oh no! I now have conflicting readers – you love Darkshipping, but someone else doesn't! What am I gong do?

**AZNgummigur**l – thank you so much – I really appreciate it – flattery will get you everywhere as someone once told me! Another new reader/ reviewer – I am so happy right now.

A/N you all want more? A lot more no less. I will try to make chapters a little longer – at the minute I think they average around 1 250 words apiece. This one is roughly 1 500. Enjoy!

By the way, this chapter has no Yami Yugi or Yami Bakura. I'm sorry but their not being very interesting at the moment (they will be in the next chapter though). Besides, we haven't heard from these people in a while now – be prepared for weird and wonderful things, because stuff is starting to happen…

* * *

The unexpected arrival of the entire Tomb Keeper Clan at the Game shop only served to revive Yugi's suspicions that all was not right. Already potent in their own right, when the Istar family suddenly appeared on his front door, Yugi felt his fears increase exponentially.

The past few days had been difficult. The disappearances, Ryou's nightmares and his own doubts weighed down heavily on him and Yugi for the first time since meeting and bonding with the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle found himself uncertain about the future. In the past, the Pharaoh had always been there to reassure him, and when things became tough, he took control and he had never let him down before.

But then again there was a first time for everything – after all, Yami was known for always being the first to do things others deemed impossible and had on many occasions, broken with the traditions that had gone before him. He was the first to defeat Seto Kaiba – the Champion of Duel Monsters, as well as Maximillion Pegasus, its creator. He saved the souls of the Kaiba brothers and his Grampa and then went on to triumph over the Big 5 in the Virtual World. _Twice._

He had saved the world from countless disasters and defended it from evil. Victory over Yami Marik had ensured the safety of the world and saw Yami on the first steps to fulfilling his ultimate Destiny. The defeat of Dartz and Doma were equally as impressive and in true heroic fashion, Yami again rescued the world from the brink of impending doom. Perhaps this was the next step for Yami to recover his past, but Yugi couldn't be sure. Not when the protectors of the Pharaohs Tomb were staring at him so gravely.

"Marik! Ishizu! Odion!" exclaimed Yugi with shock, surprise and just a touch of apprehension. "What are you all doing here?" he hoped he didn't sound rude in his greeting.

"Where is the Pharaoh – we must speak with him immediately," replied Ishizu. Although the tone of her voice was calm, Yugi could see the urgency in her eyes. Something was obviously wrong and he couldn't help but think that it was related to the disappearance of a couple of yamis and some Millennium Items.

Yugi was worried his worst fears were about to come to light.

"Er…I think you guys better come in…"

* * *

"The Pharaoh is missing?" demanded Ishizu.

"What? Yami's gone as well?" questioned Ryou at nearly the same time.

Yugi nodded grimly.

"As well?" Odion raised an eyebrow.

"The Spirit of the Ring…" Ryou's voice trailed off.

Marik suddenly took a great interest in Yugi's carpet.

The group were sat in Yugi's living room, Ishizu, Ryou and Yugi occupying the sofa, Odion the armchair and Marik hovered on the armrest. The mood was bleak. All of them each knew that something was wrong. Some knew more than others.

"_Tell me woman, where are your Millennium Items?"_

Ishizu shook her head. Ever since the attack, she couldn't get the voice out of her mind. Her assailant had sounded familiar, but his voice was also one she had never heard – it was strange, distorted almost. The worst of it was that she couldn't forget the way he had threatened not only her, but her family. The one thing that she had strived and sworn to protect. She would let no harm come to them. No matter what the cost.

"Yugi, where are the Millennium Items?" she asked.

Marik felt sick.

"I don't know." Yugi hung his head. "They disappeared when our yamis vanished."

"This is worse than I thought," said Ishizu softly.

She looked around the group with a heavy feeling in her heart. Not too long ago half of them had wanted to take over the world. She had thought that with the Pharaoh's re-emergence there would no longer be a need for her family to take the burden of protecting the world. Now it seemed as though it was up to them to save it – or at least find the Pharaoh.

* * *

Not long after Yugi's revelations, Marik had announced that he wasn't feeling too good. At this, Ishizu decided that they had caused enough trouble for one night and was about to leave when Yugi insisted that they stay.

"After all," he said. "Grampa's outta town, so there's plenty of room. I think," he added, mentally totalling the total number present and the possible places where they could sleep. "Besides, if Marik isn't feeling too well its probably better if you stay."

"Thank you. I am glad that the Pharaoh found such a kind soul to bond with." Ishizu bowed respectfully to the Pharaoh's vessel.

Yugi blushed and quickly set about organising who was going where. Ishizu was given Solomon's room. It was fairly small, but there was enough room for one to sleep comfortably and Ishizu humbly accepted. Ryou was currently occupying to downstairs couch, so Marik was next. At first, Yugi wanted to vacate his own bed for the golden haired Egyptian, but Marik refused. He would be fine on the floor just as Ryou had been. Odion was given the guest room, which was really just a box with a small bed in it, but he seemed content with it all the same.

It was a long time before any of them could finally find salvation in sleep.

* * *

Marik slept unaware of another presence in the room besides that of Yugi.

Since their arrival in Domino, Marik had been feeling increasingly uneasy, and yet he couldn't quite work out why. At first he believed he was anxious that his part in the disappearance of the Pharaoh, the Spirit of the Ring and the Millennium Items would emerge, but as the night wore on, he realised it wasn't that.

As he hovered, unsure of what to do, he was distinctly aware of having been watched by Bakura's hikari. He had never thought to ask Bakura before, but now he wondered whether or not the vessel was aware of their 'relationship.'

Bakura always acted as though his light meant nothing to him. He had even purposefully injured the body as part of one of his schemes, but Marik knew differently. During Bakura's duel with the Pharaoh, he had witnessed him sacrificing his win to protect the boy. He made it seem as though his intentions were purely selfish – 'I still need the vessel,' he had said in a cold tone, but in the moment before he took back control of the body he saw affection and genuine concern in his eyes.

Although Bakura denied it, Marik was now in no doubt the yami cared deeply for his hikari. And that left him to wonder where he stood with the former tomb robber.

In amidst al his musings, Marik had managed to drift to the verge of sleep, his thoughts haunted by a certain white haired thief who he had sent to the Shadow Realm with the Pharaoh had sworn to protect.

* * *

Ryou tossed and turned restlessly on the sofa. Ever since Marik's arrival, he had been feeling – put out. It was the only way he could describe it. He didn't know why, but he was strangely uncomfortable in the presence of the Tomb Keeper and as he lay awake thinking about him, he couldn't help but think about Bakura.

Bakura, who had always been so cold and indifferent in front of him. Bakura who had deemed him weak and useless. Bakura who probably believed he hated him because of what he had done.

Bakura hadn't known that Ryou had been watching when he took control. Bakura had been careless and forgot to block his hikari and Ryou had seen it all. (Don't know what I'm talking about? Read 'Anybody But You'). He sighed to himself, half lost in his thoughts. If only it hadn't been for Marik, none of this would have ever happened…

* * *

As Marik slept, he didn't notice the dark figure that was creeping slowly towards him, hidden in the shadows of the dark room. The man moved until he stood over Marik who lay on a makeshift bed of an old mattress and layers of thin cotton sheets. Crouching down so that he knelt next to him, the man proceeded to reach out and grasp the Egyptian by the neck.

"Did you ever think about me?" came a menacing whisper as icy fingers closed over golden skin, slowly tightening. He felt a vein pulse beneath his fingers and deliberately increased the pressure.

"No, you were only thinking of yourself…" Marik's breathing grew slow.

The hidden attacker increased his grip and it wasn't long before Marik was jerked awake by the rough hand that was slowly throttling him.

"You did this to me…" His eyes were wild – the pupils lost and only the ghostly whites could been seen glaring in the darkness.

"No…stop…" pleaded Marik, his own hands flying to his throat and trying to loosen the hold.

"…it's all your fault…" the other hand moved on top of both of his and began the final squeeze…

"Odion! Ishizu! Help me!" Marik's hands lost their grip and slipped from his neck.

"…I hate you…"


	14. Chapter 14

I'd Die For You

Thanks for the reviews, but, I seem to be missing some people! Where are you? Oh no! I've lost a reader/ reviewer! Sob still, the show must go on as they say, huh?

**YamiMisao** – thank you. I was worried that some people may find this chapter a bit boring…oh well – what can you do? The things outside the Shadow Realm are gonna get pretty important soon as well…

**Amessis** – yeah, I know. This was exactly the most interesting chapter, but now that I've gotten it out of the way, I can start on the good stuff. Oh, and this chapter is 2 000 words with Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura. Enjoy.

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – thank you too! I appreciate what you're saying, but I'm still undecided myself. I think I may add a little bit more Darkshipping – or a least a _hint_ of it. I'm pretty fond of it actually.

A/N Okay everyone, I know the last chapter wasn't the best, but it was important to set up those characters for what happens next. Baring that in mind, the next couple of chapters are also 'set up' chapters, but to make up for the last one, I have made this one extra, extra long – _and_, it is solely about Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura.

* * *

When Bakura woke from his brief slumber, he noticed that it had fallen dark. Sitting up, he was surprised to find that someone had taken the time to cover him with something to protect him from the gentle but cool breeze that was passing. Picking it up, he saw that it was none other than the leather jacket so often worn by the Pharaoh. Yami, who had also witnessed the change in time, as well as temperature, had retrieved his earlier discarded jacket for the tomb robber.

Bakura looked round, trying to find the Pharaoh and he was greeted by something that he never ever dreamed he would see. _Ever_.

The Pharaoh – during Bakura's nap – had stripped to his waist, obviously uncomfortable wearing his drenched clothing. However, from where Bakura was sat, he could see that the Pharaoh was holding something over a fire that he had somehow managed to construct.

Bakura moved ever so slightly closer and squinted, his curiosity obviously winning over his sense. He almost fainted when he realised what Yami was actually doing.

_Oh my Ra – the Pharaoh is drying his boxers over an open fire!_

Bakura was actually quite tempted to test his old skills and see whether or not he would be able to steal the undergarments from the Pharaoh, but then he thought better of it. After all, the man had risked his life for him, which was the reason his underwear was in such a sorry state in the first place.

Bakura frowned. Since when did he care about the feelings of the Pharaoh? Obviously being a part of Ryou was making him go soft. Still, it seemed a little harsh to distress the Pharaoh after everything he had done for him thought Bakura as he unconsciously fingered the leather jacket.

As quietly as he could, Bakura walked over to the Pharaoh and sat down next to him. As he did, he noticed that the Pharaoh had laid out all his clothes as well as his own so that they might all be dried in front of the roaring flames. He had never known someone to be so considerate to him. He supposed that Ryou had tried occasionally, but he had simply ignored him, or not accepted whatever he had wanted to do for or give him.

He suddenly felt very guilty. He never really treated his hikari with the respect that he deserved. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't all that surprised that Ryou hated him – he was probably glad to be rid of him. As he made himself comfortable, he wondered whether Ryou cared that he had gone…

"Feeling better?" asked Yami.

Bakura nodded and then smirked in the evil manner so rightly associated with him.

"Nice choice," said Bakura sarcastically when he had gotten a better view of the Pharaoh's underwear.

Yami blushed under the intense stare of the former thief who had one eyebrow raised in question – or was that mock interest?

"Yugi's choice," he muttered quietly, hoping that his embarrassment didn't show.

Bakura tried and failed to stifle his laughter.

"What?" asked the Pharaoh indignantly, instantly dropping the garment and pacing his hands on his hips. He looked like he was throwing a temper tantrum.

"It's – just – just that," said Bakura in amidst his giggles. "Just that – I never would have – imagined the – the great – great and powerful – Pharaoh succumbing to the will of a child – and then – wearing _those!"_

Yami flushed bright red. Naturally the one time he had let Yugi choose what underwear they wore he had chosen his favourites. They just _had_ to be bright red and covered with none other then – wait for it – _Kuribohs_. It wasn't enough that they had one in their deck, but they had to have them on their boxers too?

And of course he would have to take them off in front of the tomb robber. Ra must be having the time of his life. Well, afterlife anyway.

The Pharaoh wanted to say something in return, but was unsure of what. After all, he had had a lot of amusement at the tomb robber's expense – perhaps Bakura was simply getting his own back.

Suddenly, another change washed over Bakura, and with a grateful tone he returned the Pharaoh's jacket to him. "Thank you," he said again. Although he said no more, Yami could see the question expressed in his eyes – _why_?

"I thought you may have been cold…" admitted Yami, a little taken aback by how self-conscious he was being over such a small thing. To Bakura, it was probably no more than an act of kindness. Yami didn't know how little kindness had been afforded to the tomb robber over the years. He had never really experienced friendship.

Yami resolved to stop being so childish – really, it was unbecoming of him. He who was once this great and powerful Pharaoh, that everyone spoke of with such high regard and esteem. He sighed. He really was sick of that. People were always telling him how wonderful a ruler he had been. They all expected so much – _too much_. Even Yugi seemed to have him placed on a pedestal.

To all of them, he could do no wrong. Not even when he had lost a duel due to his rage, and Yugi had lost his soul for his mistake. In a way, that was why he so admired Kaiba. He didn't forgive him for his failure, he didn't want to depend on him – and he was willing to risk himself to save the world. He was not taken in by what he used to be – he didn't believe him to be unstoppable or unbeatable and Yami knew that Kaiba would stop at nothing to defeat him, and he believed that one day he would.

At times, Yami wished _he_ didn't believe in all this. He was tired of living up to people's expectations of him – tired of being depended on and tired of having to fulfil his elusive '_Destiny_.'

"The clothes are dry," he said absently, breaking the silence that had descended. He poked at the fire carelessly with the small branch that formerly bore his now infamous Kuriboh underpants. If he ever got out of the Shadow Realm he was definitely going to take Yugi shopping.

Bakura nodded – he could see that the Pharaoh was deep in thought and left Yami with some privacy to re-dress, while he went and re-clothed himself. He waited a few minutes more than necessary to ensure that he would not catch the Pharaoh in any – _compromising situations_… The Pharaoh was acting strange – no longer the confident and self-satisfied King of Games. He seemed – almost human and Bakura found that he didn't hate this new side that had emerged.

When he finally returned, he found the Pharaoh lying on his back, gazing at the bright lights sparkling in the dark sky. When Bakura was younger, he vaguely remembered promising someone that one day he would catch a falling star and give it to them. He resisted the urge to snort. It was so, so not like who he was now – _so nice…_

He couldn't think who might have led him to make such a juvenile promise. Nowadays, he knew that he couldn't do the impossible – that was one of the reasons for why he was now locked in the Shadow Realm.

"I remember someone told me a story once – a long time ago now – I was told that when a person died, their soul was transported to heaven and when it got there, it became a star."

Bakura said nothing and instead sat down again next to the Pharaoh.

"I don't want to be a star," he paused. "Look at them, spirit – there are so many, but in reality they are really all alone."

_I hate being alone…_

Bakura stared at the Pharaoh. This was the closest thing to a conversation that the two had ever shared and the spirit couldn't help but feel – he couldn't describe it. He found it strangely comforting to be with the Pharaoh. He didn't even need words – Bakura could read the emotion in his eyes as he had his.

_I don't want to be alone…_

Bakura had had the same thought often.

"It was my mother," said Yami abruptly. "She was the one who told me…at least, I think she did." He sighed in a frustrated manner. "There's still so much of my past that I still have no idea about!"

"Sometimes, sometimes it can be better not to remember…" replied Bakura vaguely. His words were spoken like a sigh. Bakura felt an ache in his heart as he said the words. He closed his eyes, hoping to keep his feelings to himself. He feared that he may start to cry, and that was something else he certainly did _not_ want to do in the Pharaoh's presence.

"Mother…" whispered Yami. He had heard Bakura's last comment, but chose not to question him. He had sounded so resigned and so – vulnerable. It seemed something too personal – _too intimate_. There was obviously some private matter that Bakura was referring to, and it was not his place to intervene.

Bakura wondered whether or not the Pharaoh should be told of the Queens demise. Well, not so much her death – she had lived three millennia previous, of course she was dead – but _how_ she had died. He deserved to know, but would knowing not bring him more pain that not? And besides, what if he told him and the Pharaoh grew angry with him? He may end up hating him…

No, it was probably best to let the past go. If only he could convince the Pharaoh to do the same…

"Remember that woman – the one we saw bathing?" he asked, breaking the silence once more. Bakura nodded slowly. "She was my mother."

Bakura remained resolutely silent.

"I saw myself being born…" he continued, a far away look in his eyes. "It was – so unreal. If I hadn't seen it I wouldn't have believed it. Did you know I nearly died?" he asked, and then laughed at himself. "Twice. When I was still a baby I fell into the Nile and almost drowned. My mother saved me – I tried to save her, but…" Yami's voice trailed off.

"You saved me instead." It wasn't a question.

Bakura was tempted to smile at the poignancy of it all – the Pharaoh had given up the chance to save his mother and had chosen instead to save the man who would one day kill her.

Or had killed her depending on how you looked at it.

Yami nodded. "I wish I knew what became of her."

No sooner had his words been spoken than the stars seemed to fade under a thick cloud of black. Yami leapt to his feet, followed closely by Bakura.

"Pharaoh!" he called.

"I'm here," replied Yami, but the fog was thick and the pair could barely see each other anymore, although had been less than two feet apart moments earlier.

"Stay where you are!" ordered Bakura. "Don't move or we will be separated again…"

The Spirit of the Ring was concerned – what of he Pharaoh was shown the same vision that he had seen? What if he discovered the truth and actually _did_ find what had finally become of the Queen? He could not let the two be parted. And anyway, in the Pharaoh's current state of mind there was no telling what might happen to him. The Shadow Realm was an unforgiving place.

As the darkness fell over them, Bakura, much to his own surprise, prayed for their joint safety. He had given up prayer as a child and that was also when he had decided that he should only care about himself. He shook his head – the last thing he needed was for another memory to surface. He had forgotten his past for a reason, and he – unlike the Pharaoh – didn't wish to remember…


	15. Chapter 15

I'd Die For You

Hi! Sorry it's taken longer than usual to update but I'm halfway through an Art Exam. Well, obviously no right now, but – oh, let's just drop it!

Thanks for all the reviews guys!

**Hikari Skysong** – thank you. Oh, trying to get one step ahead are you? I'm sorry, but I don't want to ruin the plot, so I can't give you a definite answer…perhaps an elusive '_maybe_' would suffice…

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – I had a blast writing that chapter! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! It's a bit depressing to keep a fic sad all the time, so I try to add in some humour, but it can be hard to keep them in character during those bits. Oh, and if you liked the underpants bit, you'll be happy to note there will be a little more Yami/Bakura humour in the next chapter.

**YamiMisao** – good news! More Yami and Bakura in this chapter (although not as much as the last time, but still a fair amount). Things happen in this chapter, and hopefully, get more interesting…

**Mrpointyhorns** – oh! I'm so happy I have a new reader/ reviewer! The questions you asked and the points you made were all very valid. I was gonna reply to you here, but that would probably take to long (not to mention too much space) so I've sent you an email instead! I hope you'll review me again because I really enjoy hearing from people!

A/N I call Marik 'Marik' and Yami Marik 'Malik' (cos I mention him in this chapter)

* * *

As Marik's hand slipped from the icy ones that were clasped around his neck, it brushed against something cold and smooth that had been hidden hastily, but carefully in his bed.

It was the Millennium Rod.

He had been reluctant to take back the Item, remembering the destruction, the pain and the suffering that he had caused. He was even more reluctant to use it, but the Pharaoh had insisted and as a Tomb Keeper, he was sworn to obey him. It was strange that a little while ago he wouldn't have even hesitated to be rid of the Pharaoh, but now he felt guilty about it.

Now he was grateful to have it.

Although he was fading fast, Marik managed to hold on long enough to grasp the object in his hand. Focusing all his remaining strength on the Item, he willed it to help him. He couldn't die like this – there was still so much he had to do. A bolt of electricity coursed through the Item, making it turn white hot. The Millennium Symbol glowed and a burst of energy then flowed into his body and struck his attacker who fell back stunned. A blinding light filled the room before disappearing as quickly as it had arrived.

The flash woke the peacefully slumbering Yugi. Rubbing his eyes sleepily, he rose from his bed.

"Marik? What's going on?" he asked groggily. The last thing he really needed to worry about was Marik – Ryou was causing him enough problems as it was.

Marik had all but collapsed, taking in huge breaths of air. He touched the back of one hand to his forehead, his whole body soaked in a cold sweat. In his relief, he had almost forgotten about his attacker who lay tangled in his sheets at the foot of Yugi's bed. When he had fallen, he had whacked his head against the heavy wooden frame of Yugi's bed and effectively knocked himself out and knocked over the chest that was positioned there.

"Master Marik!"

"Marik!"

Odion and Ishizu appeared at the door to Yugi's room simultaneously, both having heard Marik's cries for help and then the crash.

"Oh Ra! Not another attack!" cried Ishizu carelessly as she raced to see if her brother was alright. "Pease, Marik! Speak to me!" she exclaimed fearfully, clutching at him.

"Ishizu, I'm fine."

Or at least he was until Ishizu hugged him in a tight embrace and began to squeeze the life out of him. _Again_. If he hadn't been traumatised enough for one lifetime…

By now, Yugi was fully awake.

"Marik? Did someone attack you?" his eyes were wide with concern.

If it had been anyone else who had asked the question then the response would have been an irritated '_no duh_!' followed by some other highly witty, but hugely sarcastic remark. As it was, Yugi's sweet nature and naivety meant that he was immune to such treatment. Besides, such a comment would have went completely over his head anyway – both literally and metaphorically.

Marik nodded, gently fingering his neck. Ishizu winced when she saw the red marks that had been left. Some were already turning blue as they bruised. Absently, she touched her fingers to her own injury. If this was the same man that attacked her she would kill him for harming her brother…

"He tried to kill me," said Marik weakly, pointing to the heap on the floor in the centre of the room.

"How dare anyone threaten Master Marik!"

Odion stalked menacingly over to the stricken figure. Ever since the younger boy had been born he had sworn to protect him, although Marik had always seen him more as a brother than a guardian. Odion had only ever failed once in his duty – when he had lost to Joey Wheeler and been unable to stop Marik's dark side from emerging and then taking control of his body. However, with the help of the Pharaoh and his friends, they were able to defeat Malik once and for all.

Odion lifted the still body roughly, pulling it up by the front of the shirt. Slowly, Odion reached a hand to the sheet that was covering his head and yanked it off.

"Oh Ra!"

"It can't be."

"Ryou…?"

* * *

"Pharaoh! Pharaoh, where are you?" Bakura shouted into the darkness, trying to find the Pharaoh with his words, but the thick smog was now obscuring their hearing as well as their sight. "_Pharaoh_!"

This was just getting ridiculous now – the Pharaoh had barely been an arms length away from him before.

_Damn baka must have moved even when I told him not to._

Suddenly, Bakura felt something knock against him, and acting on pure instinct, shoved whatever it was away roughly. You just never knew with the Shadow Realm and like they say – it's always better to be safe then sorry. Whatever it was landed with a heavy '_thump_' and an –

"_Ow_! What in the name of Ra was that?"

"_Pharaoh?" _

"Yes it's me – what did you think it was?" questioned Yami in an annoyed tone, obviously unimpressed.

Bakura quickly bent down and began to grope around in the dark in his search for the fallen Pharaoh.

"Erm…Tomb Robber?"

"What is it, Pharaoh?" asked Bakura irritably as his hand brushed against something.

_Stupid baka…always getting into trouble._

"Well, it's just your hand…" Yami's voice trailed off nervously as his whole body tensed up suddenly.

"What?" snapped Bakura and then realisation hit him. Bakura '_eeped_' loudly and promptly leapt back and flushed furiously – for once he was thankful to the Shadow Realm – the fog was hiding his now impossibly red face.

Of all the things he could have – grabbed…

He could feel himself sweat drop.

"Damn it! Baka Pharaoh! Why didn't you tell me?" he screeched – although it was very nearly a squeal.

"_Me_?" replied Yami indignantly as he scrambled to his feet. "How was I to know you were going to – you know – grab me _there_?"

However, although Yami was annoyed and a little embarrassed himself, he had no idea the amount of mortification that Bakura was feeling at present.

_Oh Ra please have mercy…_

Bakura wanted nothing more at that moment than to die in his shame, but still managed to reply to the Pharaoh.

"Well how was I to know that _it_ was – _there_?" He faltered. If the Pharaoh told anyone about this…he would surely never live it down…

Swiftly, the smoke around them began to disperse and Bakura seized the Yami by the collar of his jacket.

"Pharaoh, if you mention this to anyone, _anyone_ – I swear you won't have anything left _there_ to talk or complain about," he said in a dangerously low voice.

The two stared at each other, until Yami suddenly started laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny?" asked Bakura rather huffily as his grip relaxed.

"Oh – it's just – just that," Bakura had a strange feeling of déjà vu. "Just that – I didn't know you felt – felt so strongly about me – that you'd actually –"

But Yami couldn't finish his sentence as Bakura had tackled him to the ground and the two went spiralling down the hill, with Yami still in hysterics and Bakura ranting and raving about smiting a certain flame haired, bug-eyed baka Pharaoh with his bare hands while attempting – and failing – to strangle him.

The pair landed unceremoniously in a tangled heap of arms and legs at the foot of the hill, breathless and somewhat bruised.

"Stop laughing!" ordered Bakura, who although still angry had calmed slightly during their tumble and was now fighting to suppress his own laughter. Although it would have been funnier if it hadn't been him.

However, their amusement was short lived as an ear-splitting cry of horror, panic and sheer desperation sounded. It seemed like the shadows had heard the Pharaoh's wish, for in front of them was the Queen's train and the lady herself was being tossed about the waves like Bakura had been only hours – although it could have only been minutes, or even days – previously.

"Mother!" cried Yami, and he hurdled over Bakura and began to race towards her, the white haired tomb robber mere steps behind him.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash from the opposite bank of the river. From the sphere of light emerged a mammoth beast. It was a colossal warhorse, its coat darker than the shadows themselves, but its mane shone like spun gold. Mounted on its back was a helmeted rider, his visor closed over his eyes. His horse was clad in one similar, red spikes protruded from the centre, reminding the pair of a mythical unicorn.

Although seated, it was obvious that he was tall and his torso was dressed in a suit of blue plated armour, each piece edged with crimson. On his lower half, he wore a pair of black trousers which were tucked into the top of his metal boots. The pants clung tightly to his legs, showing off his powerful muscles.

"Pharaoh…isn't that…?" asked Bakura in disbelief.

Yami nodded, captivated by the striking knight that stood proudly before him on his magnificent steed. He saw no bridle, and guessed that the man was an extremely skilled rider – the animal looked as though it could reach terrific speeds. He was surprised that he had not been unseated when the great creature had landed.

The animal gave a piercing whiney as it reared up and leapt over the Nile, clearing it in one. As it jumped, the rider twisted low and carefully snatched up the Queen from the treacherous waters and threw her over the rump of his charger. She lay lifeless, water cascading over her frozen body and into the sandy bank until it had all but disappeared.

No sooner had he touched the bank than the armoured rider pointed a finger at the basket where the baby Pharaoh slept unaware of the chaos that he had caused. Lydia clutched the cradle close to her body, but the rider simply waved his hand at another of the maids and as though under a spell, she advanced and willingly stole the basket from Lydia and gave it to the knight who grasped it in a gauntleted hand.

As soon as the basket had been handed to him, the young girl seemed to snap awake and gasped at what she had done. She ran to Lydia, who held her tightly in her arms and stroked her head soothingly. The other girls huddled round the head servant, fear and horror in each face.

The knight raised the baby high into the air, as though he were holding a trophy or a prize. With the other hand, he pulled on the golden reigns and his horse turned sharply. The women shied away from its long tail which flicked towards them with a loud snap.

The stallion neighed loudly as his rider dug his heels into his flanks. The great animal pawed the ground once before its back muscles clenched up and it performed another magnificent jump over the river. However, before it reached the other side, the same bright ball of light appeared and swallowed the knight and his steed.

"No!" shouted Yami as he ran after it. As he neared the end of the bank he closed his eyes and jumped.

"Pharaoh!" cried Bakura as he raced behind him. "Are you crazy? You'll get yourself killed!" he called as his own feet left the safety of solid land…

* * *

A/N please note that I have nothing against Yugi or short people – I'm a real shrimp myself! 


	16. Chapter 16

I'd Die For You

Thank you for the reviews everyone – they always inspire me to write and hep to fill my sad, lonely days…

**YamiMisao** – no! what makes you say that? I'm glad you enjoyed the 'grabbing incident.' I'll try and keep my updates coming – sorry this one's a little later than usual.

**Hikari Skysong** – I've just accepted that I'm short now. I try to avoid the topic of my height most of the time, which helps. My sense of humour has been called a lot of things in its time, but _'interesting_?' I think I'll take it as a compliment.

**YamiServant** – you're back! You haven't reviewed in so long! I was thinking that maybe you had been sent to the Shadow Realm where there are no computers and, er, yeah… I'm so happy you've reviewed me again – I mean, you were one of the first on this fic!

**Starinthenight** – yay! New reader/ reviewer! I'm glad you're liking the fic. I see you're on Chapter 2, but I'm replying to you here, so I hope you get here soon!

**Mrpointyhorns** – I hope your e-mail gets up and running again soon. I hope I managed to answer some of your questions. Oh, and I'm glad you liked the last chapter!

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – the 'grabbing' incident does seem to be quite popular…thank you. Oh, and you'll find out about the knight in a couple of chapters - _ish_.

**DuelistGamerBakura** – thank you very much for recommending my fic and I hope you enjoy the rest!

**AZNgummigurl** – thank you! I always appreciate a nice review and encouragement – it inspires me to write more!

**Starinthenight **– I know I've already replied, but damn! you're reading through this fic fast! Again, I hope you enjoy the rest of the fic! Oh, and the answers to all your questions be revealed soon enough. P.S. thank you for all the compliments!

A/N does anyone think they know who that 'knight' was? And where do you think Yami and Bakura will end up? Please leave any answers in a review.

Phew! Now that that's done – on with the story!

* * *

Ryou blinked, slowly regaining consciousness.

"Urgh…did anyone get the number of that bus?" he asked, the world spinning rapidly around him making him feel queasy. He tried to focus on something, but no sooner had his eyes locked onto it than it started moving again. He felt his brain turn to mush as he tried to remember what had happened to leave him in such a state.

Suddenly, he felt himself pulled to his feet roughly by what appeared to be a dark blur. He blinked his eyes again, trying to concentrate on the strange creature before him. It didn't change a thing.

"You hurt Master Marik!" roared Odion angrily.

"Put him down – _please_!" begged Yugi. He didn't understand what was happening, but he was sure Ryou would never deliberately try to hurt anyone, especially one of his friends.

"But he just tried to kill Master Marik!" Odion retorted. If Yugi hadn't been the Pharaoh's vessel he would have dismembered him then and there for siding with someone who had attempted to hurt Marik.

Ryou seemed to snap awake. "What? Someone tried to kill Marik?" he asked, dazed. He blinked again, and his vision cleared. Odion's face was unmistakably incensed as he glared at him menacingly. That was one thing he had not expected to see…

"Yes," seethed Odion, pulling Ryou closer to him so that they were face to face with each other. "_You_ did."

"_Me_?" he replied incredulously.

He shifted himself as far back as he could, which wasn't very considering he was being held in a death grip by the irate Egyptian.

"No – I'd never do such a thing!" retorted Bakura, his eyes wide. He spun his head madly trying to find someone who would listen… they fell on Yugi. "Yugi! You know I'd never do something like that!"

"Then how do explain that?" raged Odion, motioning to where Marik lay. The deep purple bruises were clearly visible to all.

"It – but it wasn't me…" whispered Ryou as he shook his head. "It wasn't."

"Please, Odion. Let him go," begged Yugi.

"Do as he says Odion."

"Marik?" questioned Ishizu.

"Do it Odion."

"But he just tried to kill you!" Odion said disbelievingly.

Marik shook his head slowly. "It wasn't Ryou."

"What?"

"It wasn't Ryou who attacked me," he answered firmly.

"But you said…and he was the one we found…" his sister was evidently confused.

But Marik wasn't listening. "Odion…" he stood up and walked over to where the other Tomb Keeper was restraining Ryou. "Let _go_."

Odion reluctantly complied, although he mentally resolved not to let the boy out of his sight.

"Marik…it wasn't me – you have to believe me!"

"It's alright Ryou," Marik smiled gently. "I know," he fought the desire to embrace the trembling boy. He looked terrified and for some reason it struck a chord with Marik. He supposed that it was because he too had experienced something like it – having no control over your actions, fighting with himself…

"Marik, I don't understand…" said Ishizu.

"Do you remember Battle City?"

Ishizu looked taken back. "Of course I do." She had been the cause of it – convincing Seto Kaiba to hold the tournament so that things would be in place for the Pharaoh to follow his Destiny by defeating her brother's dark side. She had been shocked when the Necklace gave her a false vision which led her to lose against the reincarnation of an Ancient Priest and almost believed that the Pharaoh would lose. He would have if it hadn't been for the help of Seto Kaiba and all of Yugi's friends.

"What does this have to do with that?" asked said Yugi.

Marik looked at him through rueful violet eyes. "Do you remember what I did to Joey and Tea?" a touch of regret lacing his voice as he spoke.

Yugi nodded as it all clicked into place. "You used the Millennium Rod to take over their minds!" he exclaimed.

"Are you suggesting that whoever has the Millennium Rod is using it to control Ryou?" asked Odion.

"Not necessarily with the Millennium Rod, but someone was forcing Ryou to act against his will."

"How can you be so sure?"

_Well for one thing, I am in possession of the Millennium Rod…_

"His eyes…they weren't his eyes," Marik paused remembering the ghostly whites staring at him. He almost shivered. "Besides, after everything I've done, don't you think I should know when a person is being controlled?" although it was said with a smile, regret and remorse were present in his face.

Ryou retreated from Marik, slowly edging towards the door.

"What's happening to me?" he asked, fear – such desperate fear evident in his eyes. He stared at his hands, and then at the bruises on Marik. He had done that to him. Someone had tried to make him kill Marik.

"Ryou…"

"No Yugi! Stay away from me," pleaded Ryou. "All of you – stay away! I'll only hurt you!" he screamed. "I hurt everyone…" Ryou fled Yugi's room to the bathroom tears streaming down his face as he thought back over all that he had done. All the people he had hurt. His friends – Yugi, Joey, Tristan and Tea, even Bakura and now Marik.

"I hurt everyone," he sobbed helplessly. "Even you…"

* * *

Yami and Bakura found themselves consumed by an amazing white light which seemed to be the start of what appeared to be an endless tunnel. The two were thrown around in the vortex, finding themselves hurled about as though they were trapped inside a giant washing machine. Not that either of the age old spirits would even know what a washing machine was – to them it would be more like a very bumpy ride on a badly built horse drawn cart while the world was being flipped upside down.

Amazing psychedelic colours bounced off the circular walls, each contrasting sharply with the other. They made various kaleidoscope patterns on the sides, drawing the pair deeper and deeper into wherever it was they were being taken.

"Pharaoh, if we ever get out of this alive remind me to kill you." Bakura cried, trying to hold back the feeling of nausea that began to well up inside.

Actually, at this point in time, Bakura was seriously considering murdering the Pharaoh anyway. It was all his Ra damned fault anyway – he could have listened to him, but no-_o_, he just _had_ to follow the huge scary ass knight into, well, he didn't know what or where _exactly_, but he was sure as the Underworld that it couldn't be any good. _For either of them._

As the multicoloured lights ricochet off the edges, they seemed to merge together, forming weird and wonderful creatures, right in front of their eyes. They looked so real it seemed as though you could reach out and touch them. As they danced in front of their eyes, the Pharaoh and the tomb robber couldn't hep but think that they looked surprisingly familiar. Strange noises echoed, emanating from the figures that seemed to be growing in size – it was as though they were calling to them…

Yami couldn't reply. Then again, he didn't really want to – surely Bakura was only joking. Well, at least he_ hoped _so. He felt his stomach catapult into his mouth and he was threatened by the overpowering urge to vomit. He wasn't sure how much more he could take.

What seemed an eternity later, the pair were flung out of the portal and landed with a resounding '_thud_' on a cold stone floor.

Bakura stumbled about shakily, the journey leaving him highly disorientated. He had landed on his backside, which was now feeling particularly tender, but he resisted the urge to rub it better. Not only was that stupidly childish, he would also look like a fool in front of the Pharaoh, which was something he'd rather not do. _Again_.

As it was, Yami had not fared quite so well as Bakura. When he had been spit out, he had landed – in true heroic anime fashion – on his head. Although many people assume that having _that_ hairstyle must come in handy during situations such as this, they are dead wrong.

"_Ouch_…" Yami held one hand to the bump on his head as he lurched about drunkenly. "Tomb Robber? Is it still night – I can see stars! So many stars…and so pretty…"

Bakura, fearing he was about to start rambling incoherently, grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him so that he stood directly in front of him.

"Pharaoh, how many fingers am I holding up?" he asked, waving a hand before him.

Yami looked at his hand in a dazed manner. Bakura had one finger raised in front of his nose, but Yami looked as confused as ever. He copied Bakura and raised his own hand.

"_One_…" slurred Yami as he took a wobbly step forwards and then pointed at Bakura's hand. "Plus one…"

Bakura nodded, but he was still unsure. He had gotten the answer right, but then again it may just have been a lucky guess. The Pharaoh was known for his luck after all. Just then, Yami fell on top of him. Bakura, still unsteady from the trip was unprepared and the two fell backwards, landing quite painfully on Bakura's already sore ass.

"Baka Pharaoh!" reprimanded Bakura as he tried to push the Pharaoh off him. He managed to reach an upright sitting position until Yami giggled and wrapped his arms around Bakura's neck so that the tomb robber was unable to remove him.

"Pharaoh? What are you doing?" questioned Bakura, still struggling to detach the spaced out Pharaoh. Who was still giggling in a child-like manner.

"One…plus one…" repeated Yami as he made the sign with his hand.

"What the –?"

"Is two," said Yami triumphantly.

_Good Ra_…the Pharaoh had obviously hit his head harder than he had thought. Bakura smirked. This would be perfect to ensure that the Pharaoh said nothing about the earlier _incident_…

"Yes it is," replied Bakura. "Now will you please let go?"

Yami shook his head and then smiled – it was pretty creepy. It wasn't a normal smile. It was one that you would often see on serial killers as they strangled someone. Bakura gulped as Yami shifted closer to him, a psychotic look in his eyes.

"Two…" he began. "Is me…" Yami moved his hand touched his forefinger gently to Bakura's nose. "…And you…"

"Okaaay…" said Bakura who by now was really quite scared. He made a mental note never to hit the Pharaoh over the head. He felt very freaked out by his behaviour.

"Me and you…" whispered Yami drowsily as he leant forward…

His eyes began to slide closed as Bakura's widened. Smooth lips brushed over his in a ghostly kiss before slowly slipping away. Yami's arms loosened from around his neck as he passed out, his head nestled in the crook of Bakura's neck.

Bakura felt his heart pounding in his chest. He touched his fingers to his mouth, wondering if he had just imagined the whispered kiss. He had no idea about what had just happened, but he wasn't sure he wanted to. For now, he was content to hold his Pharaoh in his arms, relieved that they hadn't been confronted with any more visions.

_Yet…

* * *

_

A/N I'm not entirely sure about the 'kiss' but it just felt right to put it in there. I'll let you decide how much (or how little) you want to read into it for the time being because they don't really have time to dwell on it in the next chapter…in other words, something big happens.

A/N does anyone know who '_you_' is?


	17. Chapter 17

I'd Die For You

Once again thank you for all the reviews!

Congratulations to **supernerd3333** for successfully identifying who the 'knight' really is. Don't worry if you don't know who he is, you'll find out in a few chapters.

No one's figured out who 'you' is though…

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – I'm glad you liked the 'kiss.' I actually had you in mind when I wrote it. I know, poor Ryou…I feel quite evil really – making him suffer so much. I hope he can deal with what I'm gonna throw at him next…but don't worry, it's not _all_ bad. Hopefully…

**supernerd3333** – thank you for reviewing and welcome to the fic! Wow…do you really think I could write a bestseller? I have considered writing a book, but that probably won't be until I've finished school. Well done for identifying the knight, but I'm afraid you didn't get 'you.' Oh, yeah you got me – I love leaving you all in suspense!

**YamiMisao** – yeah, Yami certainly has his moments, and don't fear – there will be more in later chapters. I'm pleased you enjoyed the last chapter.

**Amessis** – yay! You're back! I swear I'm writing LOADS for this fic – it actually gets quite interesting. Oh! And thanks for your reply!

**Starinthenight** – _(singing) congratulations, and jubilations, er, lalalalalalalalalalala_! Well done for catching up and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story. I think it's great how my fic helps you with yours and if there's anything else I can do don't hesitate to ask!

**AZNgummigurl** – I'm really flattered that you think that my story is unique and excellent – your words will stay with me forever!

P.S. **Mrpointyhorns** – have you received my email yet? If not tell me and I'll send it again!

* * *

A stifled silence had descended between the Ishtar Clan and the Pharaoh's vessel. Ryou had fled the room, his face etched in terror – not of what they might do to him, but what he may do to them. The thought of him being possessed was simply too much for him to bear.

Yugi longed to seek him out, but he knew that Ryou would not want to talk to him – he didn't want to see anyone. Marik was sat on his bed, twisting the covers between his hands. He looked nervous, anxious, and maybe even a little guilty.

Yugi was more than thankful when the phone rang.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "That'll probably be my Grampa," he explained as he left the room to find the phone.

As soon as Yugi vacated the room, Marik looked over to his sister, who was still knelt by his makeshift bed.

"Ishizu," he said softly.

"What is it, Marik?" she asked, worry marring her pretty face.

"Before – when you ran in – you said, 'not another attack.'"

"Did I?" she hadn't realised. He couldn't believe that she had slipped up so carelessly – the last thing she needed was to worry everyone with more problems.

Odion nodded. "Yes Miss Ishizu, Master Marik is correct."

Ishizu shifted her gaze from one to the other. "I, I mustn't have been thinking straight," she said, although both Ishtar males could see that she was lying.

"Ishizu," began Marik.

"No, Marik!" she snapped. "I'm sorry," she whispered when she saw the look on his face. "I'm just – just so scared." Her shoulders began to shake as she bowed her head the hide her eyes from them. "I don't know what's happening – I don't know what to do. I'm so scared, Marik. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you or Odion…" her voice broke. "You're all I have left."

"Ishizu…"

"Miss Ishizu."

Marik and Odion both moved to her side and wrapped their arms around her in a comforting embrace.

"Fear not, Miss Ishizu," said Odion as he planted a brotherly kiss on the top of her head.

"Yeah, we'll get through this – together," added Marik with a glance at Odion, who nodded in agreement.

Ishizu pulled them closer to her and nodded, her tears already drying.

"Together…" she whispered.

* * *

Yami was well and truly out of it. Bakura didn't know how long he'd been unconscious, but he guessed that it had been a while. His arms ached from holding the Pharaoh and he decided that he'd had enough. Gently, he heaved the Pharaoh and lay him down next to him.

He stood up and stretched his legs. Taking in a breath of air, he choked back a cough. It was smoky and dry, strangely perfumed and tasted of wood. Bakura looked around and realised that he hadn't actually noticed where he and the Pharaoh had landed.

It was a large stone room, lit mainly by four large freestanding torches and several smaller ones which were mounted on the walls. The shadows flickered across the walls, which were covered in strange and intricate carvings engraved on large stone blocks that stood one by one with each on top of another. As he approached one of the walls, it seemed to shimmer, turning translucent gold before disappearing completely.

"What the – ?" Bakura exclaimed as the solid wall faded away to nothing.

He spun around, but he could no longer see the Pharaoh.

"Great," muttered Bakura. With his luck, he'd have another vision and end up getting married to the Pharaoh or something…

The room disappeared and in it's place, Bakura found himself stood in the centre of what looked to be a village. _Correction: _a poor village. The huts were made of mud and straw bricks, and the ground was parched and dry. Although small in size, the village was crowded and filled with people moving about. In the centre of it, there was a tiny, cracked well where a little girl was sat.

Bakura shivered. She looked oddly familiar. Seated on the wall of the slate well, she was kicking her legs gently and looking up at the sun, completely oblivious to what was happening around her. Bakura began to walk towards her – after all, this was all fake, right? Besides, he was tired, not to mention hot – the well was situated in a comfortable looking shade.

As he neared her, she tipped down her head and gazed at him. "Hello," she said with a bright smile.

Bakura tripped in shock and landed gracefully face down on his belly on the sandy earth. He could only stare at her. "You can see me?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course I can." She laughed. "You're silly."

Bakura gaped at her, taking in her appearance. She was small, probably not much older than five or six. Her skin was pale, which was unusual since she lived in Egypt and her hair was almost white. But what struck Bakura most were her eyes. They were haunting and dark. Not to mention uncharacteristically familiar to him.

She cocked her head at him questioningly.

"What?" asked Bakura as he climbed to his feet, dusting the sand from his rather out of place clothing. This was too weird – she – she shouldn't be able to see him.

"You remind me of someone," she said and her brown eyes darkened.

_I could say the same to you…_

"Who?" Bakura was curious. Whoever she was, there must be a reason that the Shadow Realm was showing her to him – it never did anything for no reason.

"My brother…" she said sadly. "He used to write to me, but the letters have stopped now." She cast her eyes longingly to the horizon. "It was a long time since the last time I saw him…"

Bakura looked at her thoughtfully. Her story – it sounded like he had heard it before. It troubled him to see how pained this girl was – he would do all he could to help her. _But, she's not real – is she?_ Bakura shook his head. Why did he care, it's not like he knew this girl – but then, why did it feel like he did?

"Why are you here?" he asked abruptly. Anything to stop him from having to think about her or her connection with him – if she even had one.

"I'm waiting," she answered simply with a shrug.

"For what?"

"For my brother," she smiled brightly.

Bakura was quiet for a moment, reflecting on the situation. "You like him a lot don't you?" Bakura mused. She was so trusting. She honestly believed that her beloved brother would return. The brother that hadn't written to her or seen her for so long. Bakura guessed that she had been waiting a long time. He wouldn't have ever let himself become so attached to anyone in the first place; it hurt too much to see them go…

It hurt too much when they left.

"He's the best brother in the whole wide world," she gushed. "Before he left the last time, do you know what he said?"

Bakura shook his head. He didn't know why he was talking to this girl, but somehow, it felt – _right_. She was so sweet, so _innocent_. He wondered if he had ever been this way when he was a child. He wondered if he would have been worthy of such love and faith. For some reason, she reminded him of Ryou, but Ryou had never shown him such a tender display of affection. Then again, he had never given him a chance or any reason to.

"He promised me – that one day – he's going to catch a falling star –"

Bakura felt himself turn cold.

"– and then give it to me."

A shiver travelled up Bakura's spine. The promise – _that promise_ – wasn't that _his_ promise?

At that moment, a pair of strong horses pulling a cart of supplies from the Pharaoh's merchants raced into the village. The girl jumped off the wall. "My mother's back!" she said happily. She glanced up at Bakura. "She said she's going to take me to see him."

"Wait!" shouted Bakura, but it was too late, she had already run off.

There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, so much he wanted to know…who was she? Why could she see him? Why did she feel so familiar…?

Suddenly, one of the horses pulled loose from its restraints and thundered towards the little girl…

Bakura heard someone scream somewhere in the back of his mind.

"_Amane_!"

His eyes widened in horror as the horse trampled her. The sickening sound of bones crunching beneath metalled hooves filled his ears.

"No…" he heard himself whisper as he ran towards her. "No!"

The people grabbed the horse and began tying him up again, but didn't even touch the little girl. It was as if they couldn't even see her. _Why is no one helping her?_ Bakura wanted to scream.

Bakura fell to his knees and picked up the little girl – what was she called? _Amane_. Her bones had been broken and she was covered in dirt and blood. She coughed weakly and her eyes opened a little. She reached out a tiny hand and rested it lightly on Bakura's face. She was trembling – her whole body ice cold. Bakura put his own hand over hers, his eyes glossy with tears yet to fall.

She smiled gently, a perfect, contented smile. _"I love you, brother…"_ she mouthed.

Her eyes slowly closed, and Bakura felt her cold hand turn limp in his. Bakura felt himself shake. He felt so much – _too much_. He was angry at himself for not stopping her, angry at all the others for not helping and angry because of the waste of such a perfect child. _A waste of life_.

"No!" he screamed, clutching the child to himself. "No, it's not fair! Bring her back – bring her back!" He closed his eyes, the tears sliding down his face.

The girl, Amane, she had stirred something inside Bakura. He saw things he didn't even remember – he knew this girl, they were happy together. They grew up together – they had a childhood. They were – Bakura gasped as realisation struck him – had he been her brother?

He looked down at the child lying in his arms and saw _Ryou_, pale and blood covered. Dark eyes slowly opened.

"_Spirit_?"

Bakura dropped him and jumped back. His heart pounded in his chest and his head filled with more images – of him and Ryou, of the girl of – of – of things he couldn't remember and didn't want to. He held his head in his hands and dropped to his knees.

"Leave me alone!" he cried, hot tears falling.

Ryou slowly began to walk closer to him, concern on his face. "Spirit, what's wrong?"

"Stay away from me – you're – you're not real! None of this is real!"

Ryou stepped closer to him as Bakura edged back. Suddenly, a hand closed around his wrist and pulled him close. "Let me go! You aren't real!" he sobbed, his fists pummelling the chest in front of him. "Let go…" he pleaded as he slumped into strong arms and broke down. "It can't be real…"

Bakura suddenly felt someone wrap a strong arm around his waist, holding him in a tight embrace while stroking a hand through his hair comfortingly.

Bakura drew back and looked up. He was greeted by wild hair and crimson eyes. "Pharaoh?" he asked shakily.

"Yes Spirit, it's me." Yami relaxed his hold since Bakura seemed to have calmed down. "Are you alright?"

"I – I don't know," he admitted. He looked around. He was back in that room. He only just noticed that there were no doors.

"What happened?"

"I – I had a vision." That was all it could have been – it couldn't have been anything else. Bakura refused to let it be anything more than just a vision – a twisted hallucination fabricated by the Shadow Realm to confuse and distress him.

"A vision?" disbelief was laced in the Pharaoh's voice.

Bakura nodded and stood up abruptly. It _was_ only a vision. No matter how real it felt. Or how much it hurt when Amane – no, when _the child_ died.

Yami took his silence as a sign that he no longer wished to speak of it.

But that didn't take away any of his fears. When he had woken up after passing out, he remembered seeing Bakura staring at him, but it was like he was looking at someone else. He was shaking and screaming and holding him tightly. And then – he just ran. He looked absolutely terrified for a moment and fled from him. It was like he had seen a monster, or even worse – _a ghost_.

He seemed alright now, if a little shaken. Whatever he had seen must have been awful to make the tomb robber act in such a way. Yami could only hope that it wouldn't happen again, but something told him that it would. And not just to Bakura.

Now the two were playing a different kind of Shadow Game, where all the rules were unknown and nothing was in their favour. This time, there was more at risk than just their minds – they just didn't know it yet…


	18. Chapter 18

I'd Die For You

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – no probs, I promised you some Darkshipping and so by Ra you'll get some! Anyway…thank you very much, it took me an age to write that bit. Oh, yeah – about Amane, you are indeed correct, as you'll see in this chapter…

**Starinthenight** – glad you like. Sugar makes me high too – I'm not allowed to eat it anymore, especially for breakfast…so not fair!

**AZNgummigurl** – yeah I know, I love getting reviews because they always push me write more and write better. Wow, I'm really flattered that you think my story is so good. If only I could somehow get the rights to the show…

**Amessis** – thank you! I really happy you liked that last chapter and I'm working on the next few even as you read!

A/N things are gonna start to get fairly confusing now, but it will all make sense eventually…Oh, and this is another split chapter, because otherwise it would have went on waaaay too long! Too make up fot it, I've made it a lot longer than I had originally intended. Bits of the chapter will seem to be a bit unnecessary, but believe me they will become very important later…

I hope you like and please tell me what you think!

* * *

"_Amane_!"

The name resounded in Ryou's mind, threatening to split his skull in two. He had fallen asleep without knowing it, and when he awoke he was soaked through with sweat and tears. With trembling limbs, Ryou waked over to the porcelain sink and looked in the mirror.

He looked awful. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin was paler than usual. In the dull light of the bathrrom it took on an almost greyish hue. Two thin trails of dry tears ran down the length of his face. He didn't even know he had been crying.

"_Amane_!"

Ryou's eyes snapped closed. _No_! he didn't want to think about her – he didn't want to remember her. He splashed cold water onto his face and let out a breath of air. He watched it condense on the glass, covering everything in a fine mist. He wiped a hand over the mirror and stared at his refection. He blinked, not quite recognising himself.

He looked so different without the Spirit of the Ring. Well, not so much looked different, but his aura had changed. He seemed to have lost his strength, his power. He squinted a little and saw his reflection change. For a split second, he was certain he saw his sister staring back at him.

Then again, it could have been his sister. They were twins after all. That was one of the reasons he hated mirrors – he knew that looking at his own reflection was just like looking at her. He used not wanting to see the Tomb Robber and his reflection as an excuse to avoid seeing her.

"Leave me alone!" he cried at her. She didn't move. She just stared back at him, her innocent eyes smiling. He wanted to shout at her – to blame her for everything, but he couldn't. He still loved her so much, and deep down he knew that it was all his fault, not hers.

"Why is it always my fault?"

To others, it may seem like he was pitying himself, but he wasn't. He was simply telling the truth. In reality, it did appear that everything was the fault of one Ryou Bakura.

He glared at his likeness. The useless, weak and _helpless_ Ryou Bakura. He wasn't even Bakura anymore – the Spirit of the Ring had stolen that name. Now he was only the pathetic Ryou. And he hated it. He hated himself.

"I hate you!" he screamed as he punched the mirror with his fist. The glass shattered and the shards broke away, tumbling into the sink like flakes of ice in a river. _A river of blood_. The skin over his knuckles had been torn, glass piercing the tender flesh. Blood gushed from his injury and Ryou could only stare.

He didn't feel pain, well, not the physical kind at least. Instead, his body felt cold and numb. It wasn't even so much a mental pain. What he felt was a raw emotional pain – an ache that started in his heart and flowed through his body like the air in his lungs or the blood in his veins.

After all his nightmares of drowning in blood, this didn't seem so bad. At least it wouldn't be drowning in twisted metal and hot oil. No, that was the Fate of his mother and sister. Ryou clenched his fist, the white knuckles cracking under the tension. They shouldn't have died that day. It wasn't fair – it should have been him.

Things would have been better if it had been.

None of this would have happened. He had hurt her, he had let her down. She loved him, but he couldn't save her. Ryou used to lay awake at night, wishing that it had been him. She was too precious to die. He never even got to say goodbye.

His eyes closed. He hadn't even been there.

No, he had been safe and well, waiting for them to come home. He had even been writing a letter to her as it happened. He sent the letter – he had worked it out – on the day it happened. He remembered it. He had tried to forget, but he remembered it all.

He had spoken to her only days before and they were both so excited about her return. They should have been back in a few weeks. Ryou had decided to write her a letter – to surprise her, to tell her all the things that couldn't be said over the phone. He could still recite it, word for word.

He posted it and the day was warm and bright. The sun shone and filled him with happiness. He remembered thinking – _my sister will be home soon_.

He had never been more wrong.

When he walked through the door, his father was the phone. His face was pale, and his eyes red. His voice was breaking as he hung up.

"What's wrong?" he had asked.

"Amane…your mother and Amane…"

His father was trembling and crying. He had also loved Amane more than him, Ryouhad known that even then.

"They're…they're not coming back," he said, his voice breaking at the very end.

"What?" Ryou recalled his shock, his anger. "Why?"

"They're dead."

* * *

"Hello? Yugi Moto speaking."

"Yugi! It's so good to hear your voice," came a raspy voice down the line.

"Grampa! How are you and Professor Hawkins?" asked Yugi.

"Oh, we're very well thank you Yugi. Arthur's about to tell me all about his latest discoveries," Yugi could hear the excitement in Solomon's voice. "But tell me Yugi, how are you? I expected to hear from you earlier."

"Oh…" began Yugi. He couldn't tell his Grampa about what was happening. He didn't want to worry him when he was having so much fun. "I just haven't had much time," said Yugi as he twirled the plastic coated wire around his forefinger. At least it wasn't a lie. "You see, Marik and his family have come to visit and Ryou's been staying over."

"I see," said Solomon. "I'm glad to see you're spending time with you're friends. How is everyone else?"

"Er…" In all the blind panic of the past few days, Yugi had only had the odd phone call from any of his friends, which was understandable really. "Tea's been practising for an audition and Joey and Tristan have been working."

He could almost see his Grampa's nod. "Very sensible, you're friends are good people Yugi. Well, I have to go, but I'll speak to you soon."

"Bye Grampa."

The pair hung up at the same time. Yugi slumped against the kitchen wall. It was all getting to be too much.

As much as he hated to admit it, Yugi wasn't sure if he could handle this by himself. In the past he had always had the Spirit of the Puzzle to depend on.

"Where are you Yami?"

* * *

"So, Solomon?"

Yugi's Grampa turned to see his old friend staring at him intently.

"He says he's well…"

"But?" asked Arthur.

"It just feels like something's wrong, and you know my instincts about things are usually right."

"I'm sure he's fine," replied Arthur. "That boy of yours is a very capable young man."

Solomon nodded and resolved to put his fears behind him. His friend was right. "So Arthur, what was this amazing discovery you wanted to show me?"

"Ah," a broad smile appeared on the professor's face. "You'll like this, old friend."

Professor Hawkins flipped open his laptop and opened up several windows. A few pictures appeared on the screen.

Solomon gasped. "But isn't that…?"

Arthur nodded.

"But I thought that –"

"So did I, but look at this Solomon."

Arthur proceeded to open yet more folders and this time, a map opened, as well as more photographs.

"It can't be…"

* * *

Yami brushed his hands over the intricate carvings that covered the walls. The images all looked so familiar – they looked like the strange creatures that had formed in front of his eyes when he had fallen through the strange vortex. On a closer inspection, Yami could make out several Duel Monsters. He fought the urge to shiver. The room resembled that of Dartz's soul room, only the creatures on the wall were much larger.

What had he been told? That the Ancient Egyptians used to battle each other in deadly Shadow Games by Summoning actual monsters from the stone tablets. Something like that seemed hard to believe, but after everything he had been through he supposed that anything was possible.

If his guess was indeed correct, did that mean that he and the Tomb Robber were standing in some sort of duelling arena or shrine to the creatures? Perhaps it was even the Monster Graveyard. It wouldn't be the first time that Shadow Magic had brought someone to the treacherous land…

Bakura on the other hand, was too busy with his thoughts to notice. The little girl – she just wouldn't get out of his head. Her smile, her words – her death…they filled his head with pictures he didn't understand and didn't want to believe.

"_I love you, brother…"_ her voice resonated in his mind and her love flowed through his heart.

Could she have been his sister? It was possible – he didn't remember much of his past, having forced himself to forget most of it.

But that still didn't explain why she could see him, _touch him._

The sound of hooves on earth, and then bone filled his ears. He closed his eyes, trying to shake the picture from his mind.

None of his questions really mattered. She was dead now.

_I should have saved her…_

The Pharaoh watched his 'enemy' from the corner of his eye. What could the tomb robber have possibly been shown that would make him so distraught? Although Bakura didn't know it, Yami could feel his anguish emanating like waves – not just from his body, but his heart. It was as though his soul itself was crying, even if the thief maintained his façade of cool indifference.

Bakura unconsciously clenched his fists into tight balls and punched the hard walls. He managed to hit some creature that he had never seen before square in face, right between the eyes. His hands throbbed with protest, but he kept pounding and thumping at the walls as though by destroying the monster in the carving he could drive away his own demons.

But the mask appeared to have slipped and Yami felt his own heart tighten considerably as Bakura began his assault on the formidable stone wall. He was hurting – hurting so badly that the only way to numb it was by hurting himself even more. Ra knows that there were many nights when Yami had often thought of trying to numb his own pain but he had had Yugi to stop him from falling into that downward spiral of self destruction.

Bakura would never let anyone catch him.

Warm blood flowed over pale hands. Bakura stopped his attack as he tried to regain control of his harsh breathing. Unclenching his closed fists, he looked at his hands. Slender white fingers were wrapped in bright red ribbons as a sharp pain shot through his bones. He glanced upwards and noticed Yami's intense gaze which was also trained on his injury. He snatched his hands out of his view and cradled them to his chest, spinning around so that his back faced the Pharaoh.

_Bakura…_

Yami took a tentative step forward and cringed when he saw how Bakura's body tensed. Without him using words he could tell that the other spirit hadn't wanted him to see what he had just done and certainly didn't desire to be confronted about it. Too bad Yami wasn't compelled to listen to his silent wishes.

"Spirit?" began Yami gently, stopping just a few feet behind him.

"What?" snapped Bakura sharply. He knew better than to try ignoring the Pharaoh, years with the baka Yugi had led him to acquire some rather irritating habits. The best way to deal with him was most probably head on. After all, what more did he really have to lose?

With an internal sigh of resignation, Bakura spun round so that he faced the Pharaoh.

"Listen Pharaoh, I don't need your pity," he spat bitterly.

He didn't know what he had expected, but it certainly wasn't the strange look that Yami had in his eyes. A mix of compassion, and maybe even understanding, Bakura felt like the Pharaoh was reading his soul through his eyes.

"I could never pity someone like you," smirked Yami as he took another step forward.

_But it doesn't mean I don't care._

Slowly, he reached out his hand and seized hold of one of Bakura's wrists, pulling away from his body with a surprisingly small amount of resistance. The sudden shock caused the Spirit of the Ring to gasp, but Yami took no notice. Instead, he focused his eyes on the wounded hand. Tearing s strip of back silk from the hem of his shirt, the Pharaoh proceeded to bandage the leaky gashes.

Bakura watched the tender act in mute fascination. No one had ever taken such care over him before – no had had ever gotten close enough to care, but once again it was the Pharaoh who was showing him such affection. What puzzled him further was that he was allowing the Pharaoh to help him yet again. He had never needed assistance before, so why was he accepting his interference with such willingness?

Satisfied that the first hand had been bandaged as well as he could manage under the circumstances, Yami proceeded to do the same with the other. Gently, Yami tended to the second wound, ripping more from his shirt to wrap the injury.

Bakura opened his mouth to speak, but he found himself unsure of what to say or even do. One part of him wanted to tear his hands away and scream at the Pharaoh for touching him – reminding him that he had survived three thousand years without anyone but himself and that was all he needed. But the other part of him – the part that had seemingly turned his mind to mush – wanted to wrap himself in the Pharaoh's arms as if like the soft silk bandages it would protect him and make all the pain disappear. If it did, he wanted to stay there forever.

"Thank you…" he whispered, never lifting his eyes to look at the Pharaoh, but it seemed as tough he hadn't heard him.

His duty complete, Yami turned abruptly, a small smile lifting the corners of his lips. The spirit's gratitude meant more to him than the other could even comprehend but he didn't tell him that. Instead he returned his gaze to stare in wonder at the level of detail in each of the pictures on the wall. They were obviously very important for someone to have taken such time and such care producing them. Every inch of the room was covered in them. He traced the lines with his fingers, absently reciting the names in his head.

_Curse of Dragon, Vorse Raider, Flame Swordsman, Battle Ox, Gazelle –_

He frowned. In between Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts and the Big Shield Gardna was an empty place.

_But why…?_

Suddenly, there was the sound of shifting stone and the far wall itself began to lift up as the whole room began to shake wildly. Sunlight spilled into the room and Yami and Bakura could just make out the silhouette of a broad shouldered man. He stepped confidently into the room, and with a wave of his hand, the wall lowered again.

Muscled arms removed a cowl from obscuring his head and face. The face was tanned, and although young, lined. He had a strong chin and dark, brooding eyes – the eyes of someone who had power and didn't fear using it. His hair stuck out in fiery points, the wild colours streaked with grey.

The resemblance, though slight, was obvious.

"Pharaoh…" Bakura looked over to where Yami stood, frozen.

He nodded stiffly.

This man was his father.


	19. Chapter 19

I'd Die For You

Sorry this post took longer than the others but I'm in the middle of exams. Bleh…I've probably failed them anyway. Never mind, I guess I can always re-sit them if I really need to…

**Starinthenight** – randomness is the meaning of life, or something like that. Anyway…this chapter is a little scary as well. Don't say I didn't warn you…

**Amessis** – thank you. I'm glad you're still enjoying my story! I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!

**AZNgummigurl** – I know, I know! Another one…I'm very flattered that you've decided to favourite me and that you think so well of this fic! Wow…that would be a lot of reviews…the replies would be longer that the chapter! It would be amazing if the fic actually got that many though…

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – you'll have to wait a few chapters before you find out what Arthur and Solomon found, but you get to see some of Yami's father in this chapter. And it's true – even if Bakura and Ryou don't know it they are a lot closer than they think and not just physically. Glad you liked it!

**Mrpointyhorns** – wow! I think it's great how you're loving the fic and all! I'm glad you're reviewing again, because they always motivate me to write! I'm pleased you received the e-mail and if you have any more questions please don't hesitate to ask me!

I still haven't seen the Egyptian Arc yet so I haven't a clue about how Yami's parents actually look so I apologise if I get anything wrong.

A/N I know that the last chapter was split, but well, so is this one. I mean I've gotta build up the suspense for the next bit. Oh, it gets good, believe me…

* * *

"Amane…your mother and Amane…"

His father was trembling and crying. He had also loved Amane more than him.

"They're…they're not coming back," he said, his voice breaking at the very end.

"What?" Ryou recalled his shock, his anger. "Why?"

"They're _dead_."

Ryou couldn't believe it. He _wouldn't_ believe. He screamed at his father and raged against the world. He told him that he was wrong – he told him that he had just sent a letter to Amane and that any day she would get it and write one back. He told him that he would write and send her another one everyday until she finally got home.

Ryou was true to his word. He wrote and he wrote and he wrote. Letter after letter, all with a different, desperate line at the end;

_Amane, I know you're there. _

_They keep telling me you won't be coming home._

_You can't be gone._

_Tell me you aren't gone._

_Amane…why won't you write back?_

_I want you to write back!_

_I need you to write back._

_Please, Amane. Write so that I can show them – show them all that you aren't – that you aren't dead._

_Please don't be dead._

He posted a letter, everyday and every morning, he would stand at the gate, waiting for the postman. Waiting for his sister's reply. He waited, day after day, but nothing ever came. But still, he waited. He wouldn't believe that his sister had left him. He wouldn't believe she was dead.

He even started praying.

And then, one day, the postman gave him something. It wasn't a letter though. It was a huge package – he read the senders address – it was from Amane.

He knew it! He knew she was still alive, and this was proof. He raced up to his room and tore off the brown paper and string. He was shaking with excitement as he spilled the contents onto his desk. He knew she was still –

"No…"

His voice wavered.

"No!" he screamed.

Inside the parcel, was every letter that he had sent his sister since his father had told him she was dead. Every letter, returned – unopened and unread. Ryou tore through each one, desperate to find one that she had read, or even touched – just to know that she had seen one. But they were all the same. She hadn't read one.

She was really gone.

She was dead.

That day, he cried and cried and cried. The ink on the letters smudged, the words bleeding into one another. He had been so careful with them, making sure that there were no mistakes, but now, it didn't matter. Amane would never read them.

His father, who had been organising the funeral, held him all night. It was one of the only times he had ever shown him any genuine affection – he just hated the fact that it took his beloved sister to induce him.

"What about my letters?" he asked quietly.

"We'll give them to your sister – I'll tell them to bury them with her, so that she can read them – in heaven."

Ryou only truly accepted her death after the funeral. After seeing the little white coffin with a single white flower on top. That night, his father told him that they were moving, moving far away. Ryou didn't complain. After the funeral, all he wanted to do was forget.

Before they moved, Ryou took everything of hers, everything that she had ever touched and destroyed it. He threw it on the fire that his father kept in the living room even after he had fallen asleep – it had been a habit of his mother. Everything of hers that he owned, he threw on and watched with a hardening heart as it melted or singed.

That night, Ryou decided to forget everything about her – forget that she ever existed. He decided that he would start again in his new home. He didn't want anyone's pity – he would grow to be the happy-go-lucky child that he used to imagine Amane to one day be.

Everything he did would be for her. But that didn't mean he had to remember her.

But now, Ryou realised that he couldn't forget her – he had been trying for over ten years now. She was a part of him, just like he was a part of her. The two of them had always had a special bond – they told each other everything and anything.

Sometimes, without knowing it, Ryou would talk to her aloud, and it was almost like she was listening. Once he remembered falling asleep at his desk and when he woke up there had been a letter there. He had written it to her. He burnt that letter like all his memories of her.

Ryou needed her. She was more than just a sister to him. No one had ever understood him so completely or made him feel special. He supposed that that was why he had tried so hard to bond with the Spirit of the Ring. In his father's grief, he had thrown himself into his work and journeyed to Egypt. When he returned, he gave Ryou the Ring.

In losing his sister, Ryou had gained to the company of the three thousand year old tomb robber. He had hoped that perhaps he could fill the void left by Amane, but it simply wasn't to be. If anything, the tomb robber made him feel even more useless and pathetic than he already did.

But now that he had lost him…Ryou almost wanted to laugh – or cry, he wasn't sure which. In losing the spirit, he had found his sister. He had not wanted to remember her, but he had never truly wanted to forget her either. He missed her, but he found he missed the spirit even more. Although he did make him feel bad, he did consider the spirit his friend. Often, he had saved him from dangers that he would never have been able to overcome by himself. He may not care for him the way that Amane did, but in his own twisted way, the spirit did look out for him.

And Ryou had repaid him by driving him away.

Ryou blinked away his tears. Nothing made any sense anymore. His Yami's disappearance, along with the Millennium Items. The arrival of the Ishtars. His trying to kill Marik.

He closed his eyes, trying to remember the last thing that had happened before he had found himself caught in Odion's hold.

He remembered drifting slowly towards the brink of sleep, his mind filled with thoughts about the Spirit of the Ring and how much he hated Marik. He had blamed Marik completely.

Ryou gasped. He had been thinking about how this had all been Marik's fault and how much he hated him…

Possessed or not, Ryou _had_ wanted to kill Marik.

* * *

Bakura tensed.

Standing in front of him was the Pharaoh's father. This was the man's whose tomb he had tried to plunder, the man who had fathered his most hated enemy. This was the man who killed Amane.

He fought to suppress his rising anger.

The Pharaoh swept into the centre of the room – with the same air of majesty that was to be inherited by his son, the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck. He raised his arms and closed his eyes as he chanted in the same strange language that Yami had heard on the night of his birth. The whole room fell dark and then in a brilliant flash of light, it was consumed with fires from the touches. The flames were huge, the long, hot tongues of the inferno licking the roof of the room before retreating into vibrant burning coals.

Stray embers fell to the floor, seeping into the heavy cracks that lined the ground. The flames traced the outlines, surrounding the Pharaoh in three rings of searing fire. The blaze seemed to take on a life of its own, the flames jumping from one ring into another and then shooting across the circles in narrow lines like misfired arrows.

As the light dimmed, the fire took on an acid green colour, and Yami noticed that strange markings had formed in the three rings, as well as the strange geometric star that glowed eerily around his father.

"The Seal of the Oricalchos…"

Bakura cast his gaze over to the Pharaoh, who looked awed by the light show. He frowned, he had seen better. He couldn't understand why the Pharaoh was so shocked – he himself had Shadow powers, this was no different from his. Unless…

_Could this be the Ancient Evil…? No, it isn't possible. It just can't be…_

The Pharaoh stepped back from the centre of the Seal, so that he stood just beyond the outer ring. The Puzzle shone brightly, illuminating his dark face, which made him look almost menacing. A feral smile appeared on his face as he snapped his fingers.

A low hum filled the room as the Seal pulsed. A tiny spot of light became visible at its core, before slowly growing in size. Within the ball of light, Yami and Bakura could see figures moving, trying to escape. They were the same monsters that they had seen before – the same monsters that lined the walls.

The creatures moved closer to the edge of the portal, but a high pitched war cry scattered them. A moment later, a giant horse with a mounted knight leapt through the vortex, landing just in front of the light. No sooner did the hooves of the beast touch the stone floor did the light grow smaller, before fading completely.

The horse tossed its head back proudly, letting out a long neigh of triumph. The knight merely bowed in silence to the Pharaoh.

"I take it you were successful?" questioned the Pharaoh.

He armoured man tugged on the golden reigns and the stallion turned, showing the king the treasures that they had acquired. The Queen hung limply over the horse's rear and basket was perched between her body and that of the knight.

The Pharaoh laughed victoriously. "Well done, Gaia. I chose well when I sent you. Leave them, now, and return to your realm."

Gaia gave a quick nod, effortlessly lifting the Queen by her tattered robes. He dropped her negligently onto the ground, and then lowered the cradle until it was positioned next to her.

The Pharaoh snapped his fingers again and Gaia was surrounded by a deep purple glow, until both he and his war horse turned the same translucent colour. Tiny beams of the violet light shot out of their bodies, spiralling outwards, and then gathering together again. The threads began to knit together, until they formed the shape of a large tablet. As the light faded, the stone block floated over to the carving covered wall where it merged itself into the empty space. On the surface was an incredibly lifelike relief of Gaia the Fierce Knight.

"I thought that they only ever summoned the monsters when they played Shadow Games," said Yami. He had never heard of them being summoned for any other reason, although he supposed it was quite plausible for the Pharaoh to use the creatures to do his bidding.

Bakura shrugged. "You're the Pharaoh," he replied dryly. In truth, he didn't have a clue about what was happening. The monsters being summoned didn't cause him too much trouble, but what in the Afterlife was that weird mark? What had the Pharaoh called it? The Seal of the Ori – Origami? No, that wasn't it…

A small movement caught Yami's eye. A low moan of discomfort escaped the Queen's chapped lips, alerting the Pharaoh to her awakening. He snapped his fingers and the Seal vanished abruptly. She rolled onto her back so that she could take in the musty air. Her eyes blinked open slowly and she cast a wary gaze around her.

"Where - ?" she began, before sitting up rigidly. "_Atemu_!" she exclaimed.

The Pharaoh suddenly appeared above her, covering her in shadow. "How many times have I told you not to call him that?"

Her eyes widened. "My lord! I am sorry, but where is he?" she asked, frantically worried for her child.

"_Ametu_ is fine," he said, motioning to the reed cradle beside her.

"Thank Ra!" she cried as she checked her sleeping baby.

"Tahemet," said the Pharaoh, his expression darkening. "Would you please explain what you were doing?"

She looked up abruptly at him, her eyes glistening. "I am sorry, my Pharaoh – I was not thinking, I only wanted to –"

She was cut off by the Pharaoh. "To what?" he leaned forward and fisted a hand through her dark hair, jerking her head towards him roughly. "Did you know he could have been killed?"

A look of pain appeared on her face as the Pharaoh yanked her until she stood.

"You could have killed my son!" he bellowed, throwing her back onto the floor.

"Mother!" shouted Yami.

"I will not lose him again," he hissed as the sound of bone on flesh echoed around the room.

"I'm sorry!" whimpered Tahemet, tears rolling down her reddened face.

"Sorry?" the back of his hand found her soft face again, sending her sprawling across the floor. "Sorry wouldn't have saved my son! If my Priests hadn't alerted me to your actions I could have lost Ametu!" he raged. "You are lucky that I even sent Gaia to save you," he spat scornfully, his hand raised to strike her again…

* * *

A/N I have no idea what Yami's mother name is, so I've given her the name Tahemet which actually means 'Queenie' in Egyptian. If anyone actually finds out her name, would they please tell me, although I'm not sure if it's ever mentioned. 


	20. Chapter 20

I'd Die For You

Hey everyone! I tried to load this yesterday but the net wouldn't let me log on. Oh well, I'm here now and that's the main thing I guess.

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – and we all thought Kaiba had a bad attitude. I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter so much – that last one was full of emotion, but this one has a big build up of tension.

**Starinthenight** – Ryou...Yami's mother…why? Why do I put them through it? There's still the Pharaoh to go yet…

**Saffron-Starlight** – thank you, thank you very much.

**Manders1953** – I know that Yami's real name is actually 'Atemu' not 'Ametu' (as seen in the previous chapter, and this one as well). I'm not sure, but you're the first person who has mentioned it. you'll find out why I changed his name, though.

**Amessis** – yeah, the fathers in this show aren't really that good are they? Oh, and about Ragnorak Online, I'm afraid I don't play it although I was curious after you mentioned it.

* * *

"Yugi!" cried Marik alarmed. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had only wanted to check on him, but – but – he never expected this…

"What is it?" asked Yugi, followed by the remainder of the Ishtar family who were concerned for the youngest Tomb Keeper. Marik was certain that Ryou had only tried to hurt him because he was possessed – they weren't so sure.

"Marik, what is it?"

"What troubles you, Master Marik?"

Marik looked exceedingly pale as he hung in the doorway, a lost look painted on his once golden face. Worry marred his features and his eyes bespoke guilt.

Three sets of eyes widened as Marik stepped aside, allowing them to see into Yugi's bathroom.

"Oh my Ra!" exclaimed Ishizu, a hand flying to her face to cover her mouth at what she was confronted with.

The mirror had been smashed, the shards littering the tiled floor and settling in the sink. Blood dripped off the fragments of glass, pooling on the floor and smeared over the otherwise pristine walls.

But it wasn't the blood or the glass that had so shocked them. It was the complete absence of Ryou Bakura.

* * *

Yugi hung up the phone with a shake of the head.

"Nobody's seen him," he informed the Tomb Keepers.

He had just finished speaking to Joey and told him to tell all the others to keep a look out. His friends knew about the strange disappearances, but Yugi had neglected to tell them about the Ishtars. He really didn't want to worry them – especially since he himself had no idea about what was happening and what to do.

"Where can he have gone?" asked Marik with a look of concern.

"I don't know…this isn't like Ryou." Yugi bit his lip. _Then again, it's not like Yami to just disappear without saying anything…_

"Maybe he is being controlled again," suggested Odion. "You had best be on your guard, Master Marik."

Marik didn't reply. His forehead was creased in thought. This was all his fault – if only he hadn't done as the Pharaoh ordered. But now that he had his Millennium Rod back…He could easily find Ryou, all he had to do was enter his mind and – No, he would not do that. The vessel had been through enough, more mind control would only aggravate his mentality.

If only he knew what was happening with the Pharaoh and Bakura. All the sitting around and being unable to do anything was slowly driving him crazy. He closed his eyes, he hated this. He hated it all!

He stood up suddenly and ran to the door.

"Marik!" cried Ishizu. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find him!" he replied as he raced into the darkness of the night.

Ishizu collapsed onto the sofa. "Odion!"

The tall Egyptian nodded. "Do not fear Miss Ishizu, I will ensure that no harm comes to Master Marik." He patted her reassuringly on the hand and then flew after Marik.

Yugi felt a headache growing. "Where are you, Yami?" he whispered under his breath.

* * *

"I'm sorry!" whimpered Tahemet, tears rolling down her reddened face.

"Sorry?" the back of his hand found her soft face again, sending her sprawling across the floor. "Sorry wouldn't have saved my son! If my Priests hadn't alerted me to your actions I could have lost Ametu!" he raged. "You are lucky that I even sent Gaia to save you," he spat scornfully, his hand raised to strike her again…

Yami stared at the scene in absolute shock – his father was – was attacking his mother!

He couldn't just stand by and watch…

Before he even knew what he was doing, his left foot stepped out in front of his right, walking jerkily towards his parents.

"Tomb robber!" he exclaimed as a hand clamped down on his shoulder, stopping him from moving. "Release me this instant!"

"Pharaoh, it won't do any good," said Bakura.

"She's my mother – you can't expect me to let him do that to her!" he retorted, crimson eyes burning.

"You can't do anything about it, Pharaoh. It's a vision," Bakura forced Yami to look at him. "Back then it wasn't uncommon for a man to beat his wife, _or_ his children" he stated matter of factly.

Bakura was thankful that the Pharaoh wouldn't know that he was lying. In truth, women were greatly respected during the time of Ancient Egypt which was what made the king's behaviour so odd. Beating woman in general was crime enough – but the _Queen_…

"But he'll kill her!" raged Yami, pulling free from Bakura's hold. Bakura stumbled forwards, but let go. If the Pharaoh wouldn't listen to him he would just have to find out the truth for himself. Besides, Bakura knew that she wouldn't be killed – no, that job was reserved his hands and a cold blade…

Tahemet was cowering in a corner of the room, her knees pulled up to her chest. "Please, my lord…" she sobbed feebly.

The Pharaoh's knuckles collided with her jaw and her head crunched against the stone tablets that built up the walls.

"That is enough, Akundinmon."

The Pharaoh stopped abruptly, turning to stare at whoever had intruded into his sanctuary.

"The woman knows that she has done ill. Stop now, before you harm her."

"How dare you! Do you know whom you are addressing?" demanded the Pharaoh, squaring up to the trespasser.

"I know very well who you are, Pharaoh Akundinmon, creator of the Millennium Items."

"Pharaoh, do you know that man?" questioned Bakura.

Swathed in layers of white linen, the dark man that stood before them held an air of mystery. A turban was wrapped around his head. Heavy gold ankhs hung from the lobes of his ears, sparkling in the red glow of the room. His eyes shone a strange electric blue colour. Bakura couldn't be sure, but he felt as though he had met, or at least seen him before.

Yami shook his head. "I only know that his name is Shadi and he is the Guardian of the Millennium Items."

He had appeared so silently – so suddenly. It was just like the time he had appeared after Duellist Kingdom and confronted Yugi. Yami frowned, that day, Shadi had used the Millennium Ankh (Key) to enter Yugi's mind and there he had probed his own. Shadi was a man consumed in mystery, and Yami wondered what he was doing in Ancient Egypt. Then again, how was it possible that Shadi was alive back then?

Shadi's presence was overwhelming – it was as though he was surrounded by an intense aura that was impenetrable by any mortal. Even the Pharaoh looked awed. His hand fell limply to his side.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "And how dare you order me?"

Shadi stared at him levelly. "What I am is the fault of you and your Priests. That is all you need to know. The Queen shall not suffer for your wrongs."

A blank look appeared on the Pharaoh's face. "My wrongs? It is her who nearly drowned my son!" he shouted, pointing to her in a threatening manner.

"Your son should have died at his birth. It was you who prevented his soul from journeying to the Afterlife." His eyes moved to the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. "Pharaoh, by creating these Items you have played Destiny…" he stepped forward and leant down to pick up the baby. "Atemu should be dead."

"My son's name is _Ametu_!" roared the mighty king. "Stay away from him!"

"You can change his name, Pharaoh, but you cannot change his Fate…" a bemused smile crossed Shadi's face as the child woke and laughed in his arms. "Perhaps you will learn in time, for the sake of us all."

"If you dare to hurt my son…"

"I will not harm the child – that is not my duty," he said, handing the boy over to his father who held him protectively against his chest. "I can only hope that if you fail, he will succeed. There is more at stake here than even you know, Pharaoh."

Yami shivered. It was as though Shadi was talking to _him_, not his father. But that couldn't be. This was another vision, like his birth and the river. Shadi couldn't possibly be…

"I bid you, take great care, Pharaoh…"

A soft gold light filled the room and when it faded, Shadi had disappeared. Akundinmon stared at the spot where Shadi had been standing only a moment earlier. He blinked. Perhaps he had imagined it all. Ametu gurgled and the Pharaoh was brought back to reality. He crossed the floor to his wife and growled in her ear.

"You are never to take Ametu from the palace without my permission. Understand?"

Tahemet nodded, her face turned away. Her eyes were hooded and dark with fatigue.

"Good," he placed Ametu into her arms. "You will remember nothing of this," he said. The Millennium Puzzle gave a gentle glow and pulsed. Slowly, Tehemet's eyes closed. Akundinmon smiled darkly. "Good," he repeated.

Straightening himself, he clicked his fingers and the strange green Seal lit up on the face of the floor. "Gaia, return the Queen to her chambers and call Akudadin to mine."

The knight's stone tablet appeared at the heart of the Seal and began to glow indigo. Stone turned to light and the tendrils broke away, rebounding off the edges of the Oricalchos before twisting together. First, the horse was built and then Gaia himself, built from rays of the translucent energy. His form grew solid and the mighty warhorse gave a piercing cry.

"Go!" demanded the Pharaoh as the vortex appeared once again, only this time, it kept growing.

The radiant ball let out a low hum and its energy forced Yami and Bakura to the edge of the room.

"Pharaoh! What's going on?" called Bakura over the hum that had become a rumble.

But Yami could barely hear him. The noise drowned out all other sound and the light had blinded Bakura from his eyes. He was consumed by the power of the light and felt himself being pulled further and further from Bakura…


	21. Chapter 21

I'd Die For You

Thank you very much for all my lovely reviews!

**Lady-Dark-Devinty** – I'm afraid you'll have to wait to see what happens to Ryou. But I swear (no duh!) it's gonna be good. Well to read anyway. It's bad if you're Ryou…

**Starinthenight **– blushes furiously thank you…it really means a lot that you think so highly of my work. I do try my best for you all.

**Amessis** – to be honest, I really had no clue about computers or anything Internet related until I started up on the – poor Ryou…but you'll have to wait until next time to find out what happens to him!

**StormySkys** – I'm really glad you're enjoying the fic. _and_ you think my Darkshipping moments are cool…well I'm off to write some more!

**Mrpointyhorns** – thank you, one day my evilness will rule the world! Mwhaha! Anyway, sorry, but you'll have to wait and see what happens to Yami and Bakura – but it's really good, I promise!

A/N originally, I planned on having this as a chapter about the Yamis, but that idea went to pot when I realised that I had to put this bit in. The thing was that this should be happening while that thing with Yami and Bakura is happening and it wouldn't make sense if I didn't put it in now.

It's not a terrifically interesting chapter, but important nonetheless (hint hint).

Don't worry though, the next chapter rocks! The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update for you all!

Oh, and if you want to know what the Yami's are doing now, they're unconsciousness, so you're not really missing out on anything!

* * *

Marik shivered as he ran blindly through the streets of Domino, lit only by the Moon and stars with a few street lamps flickering ineffectually in their pathetic attempt to expel the darkness. This was ridiculous; considering it was Summer it should really be a lot warmer and brighter. He remembered how much Odion had complained about the unpredictable weather the first time they had come to Domino. Speaking of going places…

If he were Ryou, were would he go?

He hadn't a clue. All his life he had lived in the shadows, taught that it was his place to wait until the return of the Pharaoh when he would be set free. And he had – the Pharaoh had banished his 'dark side' to the Shadow Realm giving him back control of his life.

But now, the Pharaoh was in the Shadow Realm, and he was back in the shadows, searching for a light he just couldn't find.

Cold sweat covered his body as he continued his search for the other hikari. He was –_ important_ and as much as he hated to admit it, he knew that Ryou meant a lot to Bakura.

_Maybe even more than me…_

And if he let anything happen to the damn boy while Bakura was gone…

_He'd kill me._

It was times like this he missed being evil.

* * *

Solomon Moto leant back in his chair, a cup of steaming tea held in his hands despite the scorching weather that had led the pair to leave the window wide open. He blew on it slightly to help cool the scolding liquid as he waited for his good friend to return to his seat opposite him. He had so many questions for his dear companion and yet he hadn't a clue where to start.

"So, Solomon," began the professor. "What do you think?"

"I – I still can't believe it Arthur."

"I wouldn't lie to you, Solomon."

"I know, but Atlantis was destroyed – we saw it fall back into the ocean when Yugi defeated Dartz." Solomon looked down at the fine china cup that he rested on the table in front of him as Arthur watched him.

"True, but perhaps not _all_ of it fell."

Solomon looked up suddenly to see his friend smiling. "What do you mean?"

"Think about, Solomon. Atlantis was the most advanced civilisation ever known – it is likely that their Empire would have stretched farther than that one island, no matter how impressive."

"Yes, but all the way to –"

"That's what I want to find out," interrupted the professor as he stood.

Solomon nodded. If what Arthur was suggesting was true, then he could be on to the biggest archaeological discovery in centuries.

"But I won't be able to do it alone," he added with a sigh.

"What was that Arthur?"

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Solomon," his friend replied gravely. "Help me."

"Arthur – I –"

The professor looked down at him with eyes full of excitement and hope. "This is what I've been working for my whole life."

"I know, Arthur and there's no where else I'd rather be than right there with you." Solomon placed his half empty cup onto the table and rose to address his friend.

"Then come with me to Egypt."

* * *

Marik collapsed on some stony pathway as he realised that he was hopelessly lost. For all he knew, he had been running around in circles for the past two, three, maybe even four hours. By now, the night was so dark even the light of the Moon seemed to have been consumed by the shadows.

He closed his eyes as he lay back, thoroughly exhausted. Sharp pieces of gravel bit into him through his thin shirt – he had forgotten to grab his jacket when he left the house – and he shifted until something else dug into his waist.

It was the Millennium Rod.

He smiled wryly. It was this that had been the cause of so many of his troubles, and now that he had it back, he wondered if it were cursed.

_Perhaps that is why Seto Kaiba always seems to lose to the Pharaoh._ It seemed that Fate, as well as history was against the former High Priest.

Marik held the Item, still warm from being next to his body and stared at it, gleaming in the darkness.

"Someone, please help me," he whispered.

Suddenly, the Millennium Rod began to glow bright gold, as though answering his call. Marik nearly dropped it as it grew hotter and hotter in his hand.

"Tomb Keeper of the Ishtar Clan," greeted a voice.

Marik knew at once that it wasn't Odion, who he was sure was out searching for him. Odion may address him formally, but he had never, ever referred to him by that title before. A title he once abhorred even more than the Pharaoh himself.

Marik turned abruptly to find himself staring at a very familiar looking man with the Millennium Symbol pulsing on his bare forehead and another Millennium Item around his neck.

"It's you…" he began, quickly scrambling to his feet. "You were there the night my father was – died…"

There was no answer, save for the intense gaze of electric eyes burning through his soul.

"What do you want?" questioned Marik, feeling himself wilt slightly under the force of his stare.

"You called for help," he answered simply, as though people often materialised out of thin air when people needed help.

"Who are you?" Marik demanded. It had been this mysterious stranger who had first led him to believe that it had been the Pharaoh who had murdered his father and in turn allowed his dark side to grow even more in strength, before it eventually took over his mind.

"You may call me Shadi, and like you, I have a duty to the Gods," he replied.

Marik frowned as he took in his words. "Duty to the Gods?"

The other man nodded, his robes moving slightly as he did so. "As you guard both the Pharaoh and the Pharaoh's secret, I am the Guardian of the Millennium Items and so protect their secrets."

Marik shook his head. "I don't understand!"

Shadi took a step forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. Marik shivered. He couldn't feel the touch at all. "In time, things will become clear to you, young Tomb Keeper." He smiled at him gently as he removed his hand, revealing perfect white teeth. "Although I am not permitted to interfere, I will give you this warning; be on your guard. You will need all your strength and great courage for the fight that is to come."

Marik opened his mouth to ask him what he meant, but before he could, Shadi was encompassed by the same blazing light and vanished…

* * *

"Then come with me to Egypt."

Perched precariously on a low, yet treacherous window ledge, a cloaked figure watched the scene with increasing interest, his dark hood pulled low over his head.

"I knew it would be a good idea to follow that senile old fool," he smirked to himself.

Even he had not expected the success that he had actually achieved during the past couple of nights' 'expedition.' This was almost too good to be true. So what if he was failing rather miserably when it came to his quest for the Millennium Items – he would get those eventually, especially with the Tomb Keeper woman under his thumb.

Waiting until the two had vacated the room to do whatever it was men their age did for fun – probably play chess like that Seto Kaiba kid. Damn that boy needed to lighten up and take that stick out of his ass. He acted far older than he was and needed to live a little.

_It's a good thing I plan on 'helping' him out after this…_

"Finally," muttered the shadowy figure as the two men finally vacated the room. The imprudent pair had even left the window open – practically inviting him in. Not that he was complaining, and it was an offer that he for one certainly wasn't going to refuse.

Cautiously elbowing the large glass pane slightly more so that his lithe body could fit through, the silent raider slipped gracefully through, landing soundlessly on the wooden floor of the kitchen-come dining room. The laptop blinked at him, enticing him to come closer and discover the hidden secrets that lay within.

"Now, let's see what you've found…"

A pair of gloved hands snaked out from inside the folds of his dark cloak and began to type furiously on the keyboard, reopening files that the good professor probably would have preferred to stay secret.

That same smirk played on his thin lips as his eyes hungrily devoured the information in front of him.

"Well, well, well…"

Carefully, the hooded figure withdrew a tiny disk from somewhere in his clothing and proceeded to load it into the high-tech machine. With well practiced ease, the man then began to type expertly, saving all the relevant files and folders onto the small device.

The sound of footsteps echoed along the unlit hallway caught his attention and he hastily closed all the windows he had opened and wiped all history of his actions from the computers hardrive. It was like he was never even there.

In a smooth, fluid motion he replaced the disk and set the laptop where it had been so carelessly left for him. With a final glance to check that he had not disturbed anything else, the dark figure leapt back out of the window and disappeared, lost in the shadows of the night.


	22. Chapter 22

I'd Die For You

Hey! Thanks for all the reviews everyone!

**StormySkys** – I know, isn't he cool! Thank you, I'm trying to keep everyone as 'in character' as I can. Oh, it's nice to have someone sympathise with Marik for a change – most people seem to prefer Ryou. But, there's not much Marik in this chapter I'm afraid.

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – I know! Shadi just appears out of nowhere, and then disappears again. As for the 'dark evil figure'…well, he's probably gonna start showing up a lot more now…

**Mrpointyhorns** – yeah, but wait until you see who they all are! Thanks, and I know that the cliffies are a pain, but I never know how else to end a chapter.

**Starinthenight** – thank you, again! I really appreciate all your comments. Hmm…that was a good guess, but I'm not telling you if you're right or not yet…And he is quite short isn't he? Then again, so am I – I was measured the other day and I'm only five foot one (and that's when I'm wearing shoes)!

**YamiServant **– thank you and thanks for reviewing again – I'm glad you're still reading! I will definitely get round to reading your new story – it sounds pretty cool.

**AZNgummigurl** – who is he? Oh, you'll have to wait to find out, but I have to tell you that there's even more suspense in this chapter. Oh, and another stinker of a cliffhanger.

A/N yay! An update! I'm pretty pleased with how this chapter turned out, all in all, so I hope you all think that it was worth the wait – weird and complicated and a little dark. I swear – once again – that things are gonna get so much more interesting. Not to mention angsty. And slightly confusing.

* * *

The night was cold, and a wind that cut straight through the bones howled menacingly through the dark city of Domino. Summer had transformed into winter in the space of a sunset, but Ryou didn't care. He just kept walking. Where to, he couldn't fathom, all that mattered was the tarmac beneath his feet and the wind whipping through his hair.

At times he was almost certain that it wasn't him who was telling his legs to move, he felt that he was near collapse and sometimes, only just on the brink of consciousness, but couldn't work out what force other than his own will to escape could possibly be making him go. Crossing a road here, turning a corner there, he was sure that he had covered half the expanse of the city by now. Another twist and Ryou found himself in a dark alley. He wrinkled his nose – it smelt of sulphur and garbage.

Wearing his favourite striped t-shirt, the chill froze his body. Blue and white had been stained red with blood, the sweet smell making him long for more.

He stopped.

"Oh gods…"

He wanted blood.

He _needed_ blood.

"What's wrong with me?" he whispered shakily as he fell to his knees. He splayed the fingers of his hands on the road in front of him, just able to make out the faint red hue of blood that he had yet to clean from his hands. Trembling, he lifted a claret coated finger to his lips…

_No!_

He couldn't do it. He couldn't – but the craving was so strong.

_Why?_ Why was this happening to him – first the dreams, and now this. His desire – his complete _need_ for the sticky liquid… it was driving him crazy.

He slammed his hand down onto the gravel with an anguished cry. It was too much. He felt a tear roll down his face as he brought the other hand to his face, covering an eye. His breath came in sharp pants as pain tore through his body. Ryou screamed.

"Please…no more…" he begged.

"Hey buddy – ya'll right?"

Ryou felt a warm hand on his shoulder. Some poor, kind, concerned soul had taken pity on the prone figure lying in a crumpled heap on the cold, damp floor.

Ryou's mind screamed at him. _Run! Get away from me!_ But it was of no consequence. He could feel his control slowly slipping as his need grew even stronger.

"No…" answered Ryou in a quivering tone. He split the fingers on his hand so that he could see out of his formerly covered eye. His trembling lips curled into a dark smile. "But I will be..." his eyes flashed until they turned completely white.

A shout of absolute terror filled the otherwise silent air as Ryou pounced on his unsuspecting victim with brutal savagery…

* * *

"Hello," chirped sweet a voice.

Bakura opened his eyes and was greeted by a pair of expressive brown eyes that he had thought he'd never see again.

_What in the name of Ra?_

He sat up abruptly, whacking his head on a stray tree branch that had bent over with age. He cringed and massaged his skull.

The girl laughed as she pulled away. "You're silly," she said.

Bakura stared in shock. "But you – you're – you…"

She smiled at him brightly and then cocked her head at him in question.

A ghost – she had to be…how else could she haunt him like this?

"Wha - ?" Bakura managed, too dumbfounded to say anything else.

"You – you remind me of someone," she replied sadly.

Bakura's feeling of déjà vu returned. This – he was certain – had happened before. He remembered it all clearly – the white hair and brown eyes, the rampaging horse – the terrible crunch of bones…

"What are you doing here?" asked Bakura. What he wanted to ask was how are you alive.

"I'm waiting for my brother," she answered, her chocolate eyes darkening. "It was a long time since the last time I saw him. He used to write me letters, but they've stopped now…"

"Amane," said Bakura.

Her eyes widened. "How do you know my name? Do you know my brother?" she asked in excitement.

"I – er…"

_Way to go, Bakura – why don't you tell her that you know she's going to die soon?_

Her musical laugh tinkled in the air. "He's the best brother in the world, you know. Before he left he made a promise to me, do you know what he said?" she didn't wait for an answer. "He promised that one day he would catch a falling star and then give it to me." She leant back against the side of the well, her arms hanging either side of her body.

Bakura shook his head.

_What's happening?_

Maybe it was dream – like the time he had allowed Marik to take over Ryou's body. While the Tomb Keeper was in control he had almost felt like he was dreaming…

The sound of hooves on earth travelled through the village. Bakura felt his heart race as the merchant cart entered, pulled by the two sandy coated mares.

"My mother's back!" cried Amane happily. She glanced up at Bakura. "She said she's going to take me to see him."

_No…_

"Wait!" shouted Bakura, but it was too late, she had already run off.

He knew what would happen – he couldn't let it happen. Ignoring all he knew about the Shadow Realm, he sprinted after the girl. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for Bakura.

One of the horses pulled loose from its restraints and thundered towards the little girl.

Bakura heard someone scream somewhere in the back of his mind.

"_Amane_!"

His eyes widened in horror as the horse trampled her. He was too late. The sounds of bones crunching filled his ears.

"No…" he heard himself whisper as he ran the last few metres towards her. "_No_!"

Bakura fell to his knees and picked up Amane. Her bones had been broken and she was covered in dirt and blood. She coughed weakly and her eyes opened a little. She reached out a hand and rested it lightly on Bakura's face. She was trembling – her whole body ice cold. Bakura put his own hand over hers, his eyes glossy with tears.

She smiled gently, a perfect, contented smile. "I love you, brother…" she mouthed.

Her eyes slowly closed, and Bakura felt her cold hand turn limp in his. Bakura felt himself shake.

"No!" he screamed, clutching her close to his body. It wasn't fair – he had lost her twice now. He closed his eyes, the tears sliding down his face. "Bring her back!" he shouted. "Bring her back…"

"_Spirit?"_

Not again…

Ryou lay in his arms, his body shattered and bloodied. Bakura dropped him to the ground and fled.

"No!" he cried. "This isn't real – this can't, it can't be real…"

He dropped to his knees, his whole body trembling.

"This can't be happening…" he whispered, his tears marking the dry earth.

* * *

Sunlight struck Ryou on the face, alerting him to the day. With a gentle groan he lifted a hand to his pounding head. He had no idea what was going on, but he had somehow wound up in a trash heap behind a run down takeaway. The smell of grease and oil filtered through his nose, making him feel queasy. He was pretty sure that he hadn't eaten anything substantial for the last few days, but there was an odd sensation in his unsettled stomach that was gurgling as though digesting.

Shifting to his feet, Ryou saw that daylight had broken a few hours earlier. He listened to the sounds of various people in their flats setting about they're morning business.

He rubbed his eyes. How on Earth had he managed to end up here? From the looks of things, he was in a completely different part of Domino than the one that he had been used to.

He heard someone scream.

"Oh my gods!"

_They could be in trouble!_

Ryou followed the shrill cry, down the alley and around a few corners. A young girl dressed in a greasy apron and rubber gloves was staring in mute horror at something that she had seen in her industrial sized garbage holder. Ryou let a gasp of shock escape him.

There, in amongst the piles of filled black bin liners and newspapers was a man, not much older than him. His body was limp, although his limbs hung at odd, jaunty angles from his body. The pale skin looked ashen in the harsh sunlight, but his skin glistered with something red – it was blood. Ryou covered his mouth with his hand and felt something sticky coating his lips. Licking them absently, he shivered as a stale coppery taste filled his mouth. It was blood.

But it wasn't his.

Ryou stared down at his hands. They were caked in the same red solution, the dark paint reaching up past his elbows and splattered across his shirt, up his neck and trailing down his chin. Ryou turned and ran. Ran until he was breathless and realisation had caught up with him.

He had killed him!

"Oh gods…"

_I – I killed him…_

Ryou fell to his knees, disgust, horror and a strange feeling of satisfaction washing over him. He could taste it – the blood, so vile and yet, so refreshing – in his mouth – he felt sick. He felt sated. Holding his stomach, Ryou threw up violently.

Gasping with the effort, Ryou crumpled against a wall, his whole body convulsing with his shuddering sobs.

_What's happening to me?_

"I'm a monster…" he cried tearfully.

* * *

"Hello? Are you alright?"

Bakura felt a hand placed lightly on his trembling shoulder and turned shakily, unsure of whether or not he wanted to see who was speaking to him.

He wasn't sure what was going on, but he was almost certain he couldn't deal with much more at that moment. He had felt a sudden chill pass through his entire body, warning him that something truly awful was about to happen. Still, he had no choice as he twisted his body to greet the speaker.

_Please, don't let it be Ryou…_

Bakura felt the blood drain from his face.

There, staring at him with her bright, inquisitive eyes was Amane.


	23. Chapter 23

I'd Die For You

Thanks again for all the reviews! Looks like you're all trying to work out what the heck is actually going on, but is anyone right? You'll just have to wait and see!

**Starinthenight** – I know, and déjà vu is really confusing too – especially when you don't know what's going on! Hmm…another good guess, but I won't say if you're right just yet…

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – well, only a vampire in the sense that he wants blood, but you're right, something is wrong with him! And Bakura, too – I don't know who I feel worse for…

**AZNgummigurl** – thank you very much. Hmm…I agree, Ryou is really struggling, but you'll find out more as we go along.

**StormySkys** – yeah, poor Bakura – and Yami…what's happening with _him_? About the pairing, I was considering it, but wasn't sure whether or not to include it, I mean I lost one reader because I turned this into a Darkshipping fic…

**cute-little-Yugi** – hmm, I know what you mean. This fic is actually gonna be a lot longer than I first planned. Anyway, I'm glad you like it and I hope you keep reviewing!

A/N following what **StormySkys** asked, how would you all feel about a Marik/Ryou pairing?

* * *

Joey Wheeler absently kicked a discarded soda can that lay in his path. He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the sunlight and squinted. He hadn't been back in this old part of Domino in what had seemed like forever. He cast his hazel eyes to the broken windows and graffiti covered walls. He sighed as he knocked over a row of empty beer bottles, discarded now that they had served their purpose. They reminded him of his life – or at least how it had been until he had met and subsequently befriended Yugi.

He frowned to himself. Last night Yugi had rung him and asked him whether or not he had seen Ryou. It wasn't so much the question that was bothering Joey, but the way that he had asked. Yugi sounded preoccupied – almost worried. Joey knew that he wasn't telling him everything.

A pair of young boys ran past, bumping into him on their way. Joey quickly patted his pockets, ensuring that his crisp brown envelope was still there. He almost smiled to himself – he had perfected that trick when he was younger, when he had been too young to work and needed money for food and to pay off his father's debts.

He rounded a corner, a set of worn stone steps leading to a rotting wooden door, a bundle of old newspapers stuck in the letterbox, wedging it open. On the top step, where the milk bottles were supposed to be left, were only smashed brown ones that had never held milk to begin with.

Joey didn't even bother knocking when he reached the door – he knew it was never locked – there was nothing inside worth stealing anyway. The door gave way with a low moan and a squeak of its rusting hinges. The first thing that anyone noticed when they entered the house was the smell – the overpowering scent of alcohol and vomit bleeding through the air. Joey cringed. It was even worse than when he had left – at least when he lived here he would clean up.

Dirty clothes were strewn throughout the house, over chairs and carpeting the floors. In amongst the dirty laundry were empty food packages from the takeaway further down the street. Joey, although disapproving of the mess was only thankful that his father was eating – and not just drinking himself into oblivion.

Joey walked through into the kitchen. Car keys had been left on the worktop, so he knew that his dad was home. Compared with the rest of the house, the kitchen was surprisingly clean. It helped that his father no longer attempted to cook and ate out of cardboard cartons and polystyrene trays.

Looking into the adjoining room, Joey could see his father passed out in the living room. One hand loosely grasped the remote to the television that had been left on all night and a half empty glass bottle dangled from the fingers of the other.

Joey frowned. He father would never change, he was sure of that, but that didn't mean he had to like the man that he was. Growing up, he had never been there for Joey – he didn't congratulate him when he did well in a test, never came to his baseball games or any of Serenity's ballet shows. He was too busy drifting from one dead end job to another and then coming home and getting drunk. He wasn't surprised that his mother had left with Serenity, only sad that he had been left behind, but he was determined never to become like his father.

He carefully removed the envelope from his pocket and placed it onto the worktop and then dropped the car keys on top of it. He didn't have to leave the money – after all he had earned it all himself. He didn't have to take responsibility for his father and make sure he had enough money for food, to make sure he never got too sick or did anything stupid. He didn't have to act like a good son to the man that had never been a good father, but he did. Joey Wheeler was a good man who did as he saw fit – there was no pity in his actions or resentment towards his father.

He had let go of all the bitter feelings a long time ago.

Slipping silently back out of the house, Joey decided to take the longer route home. It probably wasn't the best idea to take the alleys, but back in his childhood he had memorised every one. Now, he felt that he would surely lose himself in the red brick labyrinth.

His footsteps resounded on the dirty floor, but another sound floated to his ears – _crying_.

Joey followed the terrible wailing, down another alleyway, around another corner, until he found himself at a dead end.

"What the hell?"

There, leaning against a wall and trebling violently was a blood soaked Ryou Bakura.

* * *

Yami's dull footsteps echoed over the dirty plains of sand. He had been walking ever since that weird light had released him from its power. A dry wind blew over the burnt earth, the rough grains crunching beneath his feet. The sun glared at him from the skies, roasting the land with her intense rays. Wiping away the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead, Yami was relieved to see a small village appear in front of him.

_Finally, a place to rest_.

He hoped that Bakura would be there as well.

He cast his gaze over the rural area. The buildings – well, huts – had been constructed from mud that had obviously dried out to quickly. Walls had begun to crumble and had been hastily mended with slate and stones. For such a small space, the village seemed awfully over crowded. The huts looked as though they had been built on top of each other, fighting for breathing room.

One building, however, stood out from the rest. Although made up of the same dry mud it was visibly different from the others. Instead of a woven straw cover for the door, this one was made from dyed thread which hung in thin breads. The numerous plaits were linked by painted beads made from wood, clay and perhaps even bone that jangled musically in the gentle wind.

Yami noticed several people gathered at the entrance to the colourful doorway and made his way over. They were knelt on the dirty earth, their heads bent in prayer. Carefully, he weaved his way through the crowd, although he wouldn't have disturbed them even if he walked straight through.

He lifted a hand to push back the beads and braiding, but found that his body passed through with no resistance. The inside of the hut was dark and smoky, a small fire burning in the centre of the single roomed building. The room was divided by another wall of brightly coloured plaits and beaded rugs and cushions were thrown across it haphazardly.

Buried among all the drapes was a young woman, wrapped up in layers of coloured linen. Beside her was another woman, old and wrinkled. She ran her weather beaten hands over the soft head of a new born child, her eyes closed in concentration. With a frown she passed the baby back its mother.

"Hebony? Hebony is something wrong?" she asked, worry rising in her voice.

"Tiy, I am afraid that your son's life will be full of hardship. You're child will have to make many sacrifices, but do not fear, for every sacrifice that is made will be rewarded, so long as he chooses the correct path. Teach him well and he will succeed – your son will become a good man. But there is something else –"

The old woman stood up and parted the beaded wall, stepping through to search for various wooden implements and a sheet of precious papyrus. When she returned she took a seat in front of the young woman and began to draw flowing symbols in back ink over the yellowing paper. Yami was surprised to see the Millennium Symbol appear on the page.

Hebony took in a sharp breath of air.

"What is it?" Tiy questioned, her breath catching in her throat.

"The child – the child holds the power of the gods. He carries the magic of – no, it cannot be – but –" she gasped. "You cannot stay here – you must take him away from here."

"But why?" Tiy asked frantically, holding her child even closer to her.

"His power – no, it cannot be…the birth of another…"

"_Power_? What power – oh, Hebony, please! _Who_?" she was desperate now.

"Ramose and you must leave – if not…"

The sound of a chariot startled her.

"You must keep him from the Pharaoh…you must keep him from the Pharaoh," she warned anxiously, her words tumbling from her mouth in a garbed rush.

Yami frowned. Who was this child and why did he need to be kept away from the Pharaoh?

"Where is the leader of this village?" demanded a rough voice.

The sound of whimpering and running could be heard from outside.

"You must go – _now_!" ordered the woman, quickly helping the young mother to her feet. "_Go_!"

Tiy stumbled through another door at the back of the hut, her apprehensive looking husband already waiting for her.

As she stepped through the opening, a well built soldier entered, throwing the beads out of his way noisily.

"You!" he called to Tiy. "Stop there, I have orders from the Pharaoh's Priests." He strode purposefully past the old woman and clamped a heavy hand onto Tiy's arm. "I am to take the child to Ast."

"No!" pleaded Tiy as Ramose stepped between her and the soldier. "Why?"

"Because the child is a threat."

Everyone in the room turned and stared at the man who had entered who was wearing a dark cloak.

The soldier dropped to his feet. "My lord, Sihathor, why are you here?"

"Lady Ast sent me," he answered. "She didn't think you would be successful alone. Give me the child," he ordered, reaching out a bronzed arm.

Tiy shook her head.

"I hoped it wouldn't come to this," he said sadly. He lowered the hood that covered his face, revealing a gold object which hung around his neck. It was the Millennium Ring. His expression darkened and the strange item emitted a bright glow.

The light filled the room, but the baby gave a loud cry. The light grew brighter, and as it did, Sihathor felt the Ring rise in temperature. Light surrounded both the child and the priest and then turned deathly dark.

Yami shivered, he recognised this force. It was Shadow Magic.

Suddenly, the dark mists that flowed between the two combatants faded. At first, everything was still and Yami thought he may have imagined it all, like the dark shadow he was almost certain had been present on the child's face one minute, and then gone then next. Then, Sihathor collapsed clumsily to the floor, a trickle of blood running down his chin. The baby laughed in delight.

"My lord!" exclaimed the soldier as he crouched down to check him. He pulled back. "He's dead," he whispered. A moment later, he fainted as well.

"What is happening?" Ramose asked, stunned.

"Oh great gods!" cried Tiy. "What do we do now?"

Hebony seemed to recompose herself in seconds. "You will leave as planned," she explained. "You must ensure that you keep your son as far as you can from the Pharaoh and his priests. Forget what you have seen today, now please go." She hurried them out of the back door.

"But what of you? If they find the priest and his guard –"

"Do not worry for me, child – I will take care of everything here." With a loving smile she waved them off. As she turned back, her smile fell. "May the gods protect us all," she whispered.

Wrapping her hand with a linen cloth she tentatively removed the guards' knife from his belt. Closing her eyes tightly, she plunged the blade into Sihathor's chest, spilling bright red blood over the soldier's white shirt and staining the dagger. Carefully, she positioned the knife in the soldiers' hand. With a deep breath she grabbed a ceramic pot from beside the fire and smashed it against the wall.

At the sound of the noise, the villagers dashed into the hut.

"What happened?" asked one.

"The soldier," said Hebony with a heavy heart. She knew that by doing this she was condemning him to death. "He killed the priest…"

But Yami wasn't really paying attention. His mind was filled with questions – who was that child? How had he fought someone who had a Millennium Item? And most of all – why was he smirking when the priest died…?

* * *

A/N I don't think I've mentioned this before so I'll just add it here;

This story follows Season Five (that is, the Doom/Doma series, 'Waking the Dragons') and actually takes place in place of the final series. Therefore certain aspects of the last series will be incorporated into the story (for example, the memories of Ancient Egypt).

That said, you do not need to have seen the final series to understand the story – I for one have yet to watch it – although there may be very, very small spoilers. The majority if the action that takes place in Ancient Egypt in my story is stuff that I have created so any spoilers are likely to be coincidences and then only minor.

Finally, the most important aspect of my fic is completely my idea so no worries there!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review to tell me what you think!


	24. Chapter 24

I'd Die For You

Thanks for all the great reviews everyone! I'd just like to thank you all 'cause now we have over a hundred reviews for this fic!

Before I get started on replies, please check out the Doma FanFiction Contest that Huajun and I are holding. The Link is on my Profile and all the information is on the website – if you have any questions, please contact us (our details are under 'Questions').

Anyway, I hope you'll all check this out and see what it's all about

I know it's been longer than usual since my last update, but I've been stupidly busy preparing for this Young Enterprise competition that I'm off to. This also means that I'll be away for a while, probably with no Internet connection and unable to update for another couple of weeks.

I'm really sorry, but hopefully, the next chapter will make up for it!

**StormySkys** – yay! I know, sometimes Joey is portrayed as just a stupid side-kick. Originally I wasn't going to give him such a big part, but he is fairly important, so I'm glad you like him! Ancient Egyptian babies killing the Pharaoh's Priests'…? not really sure where I should go from here.

**Starinthenight** – why thank you! And yes, it does go on. And on and _on_. This story is actually so much longer than I thought it would be! Yay! for Marik and Ryou!

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – thanks! cheers yes, I'm spreading some Joey love. This probably makes no sense right now, but it will later. I think…

**Mrpointyhorns** – thanks a lot. Joey is such a nice guy, and Yami is just so clueless it's priceless really. Oh, and let's not forget the love of a parent to a child. Yami's mother nearly drowned saving Chibi Yami…

**NubianQueen413** – wow…thank you very much. This is actually my first Darkshipping fic and the first time I've ever tried Angstshipping too! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much!

**Chibi Nao-chan** – I really appreciate your comments and will try my best to make sure that the rest of the story lives up to your expectations!

**Chibi Kitty** – I'm really flattered…it means a lot to me that you think that way. I never realised that my story was that detailed! And you live in Canada! I am so jealous…

A/N good news for all those people who want to see Marik and Ryou together! It seems that there may be some Marik/Ryou in this story!

* * *

Bakura felt the blood drain from his face.

There, staring at him with her bright, inquisitive eyes was Amane.

"But – but you're – you should be…" stammered Bakura, his heart thumping rapidly.

_She should be dead_.

And not for the first time, either.

Bakura fell back, steadying himself with trembling arms.

A look of concern washed over the girls face. Amane approached slowly and placed her soft hand on his face. "You've been crying," she said, alarmed.

In that simple touch, Bakura was overcome by another vision. The world seemed to fade away until all he became aware of was the sound of crying.

The girl was crying, crying fat, heart broken tears. She clung tightly to someone he couldn't quite see, although they too felt altogether too familiar.

"_Don't cry, Amane,"_ he whispered. The two were exactly the same height and their white hair merged into a large white cloud surrounding them both. "_Don't worry._ _You'll be back before you know it_." Bakura could hear the smile in his voice.

"_But why do I have to go? Why can't you come to? I don't want to leave you_!"

A pale hand hugged her closer.

"_What if you forget me?"_ she wailed.

"_I could never forget you."_

"_How do I know? You just might,"_ her eyes dropped.

"_I'll write to you,"_ he answered simply.

"_Everyday?"_ she asked as she pulled back from the embrace.

"_Everyday,"_ he confirmed.

The two stood level, gazing at each other, memorising the contours of each others face as though they feared they would never see each other again.

"_I love you, Amane,"_ he whispered.

"_I love you too, brother."_

Bakura gasped as her hand left his face, breaking the hold the memory had on him.

"Don't cry," she said, handing him a small linen handkerchief.

Bakura took it, still unable to believe what his senses were telling him. He played with it, unconsciously running it through his fingers. With a gentle sigh, Amane snatched back her handkerchief and mopped up his tears for him. Satisfied, she pulled back and sat next to him. Bakura noticed that they were both leaning against the stone wall of the well.

"Thank you," said Bakura after a moment of hesitation.

"That's alright," she answered with a smile. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Hmmm…" Bakura replied distractedly.

"Why were you crying?" she asked, turning her pale face up to his. Her eyes shone with innocence and light.

"I – I thought I lost someone," he began. "Someone who I think is very important to me."

She nodded, and Bakura was shocked to note that her eyes told him that she knew exactly how he felt.

"Did they go away?" her voice was a whisper.

Bakura nodded.

"I lost someone too." Her eyes turned glossy.

Bakura dropped his hand to her shoulder and squeezed lightly.

"He promised me that he would write to me everyday, but he hasn't in so long." She sniffed, "he promised that he'd never forget me – he promised _– he promised_!"

Amane wrapped her arms around Bakura's waist, burying her face into his striped t-shirt. Bakura stiffly lifted a hand to stroke her hair.

In as comforting a tone as he could manage, he spoke to her. "Don't cry, Amane."

She jerked away suddenly, blinking back the tears.

"How did you know my name?"

"I know your brother."

_In fact I think he's me…_

"You do?" she squeaked.

"Yes, and he loves you very much." That was all he felt in the vision – pure, innocent love…

"My mother said she was going to take me to see him today – but I didn't believe her because the last time…"

But Bakura didn't hear the rest. Her mother was _not_ taking her to her brother. Her mother was taking her to her death…Bakura felt like he had swallowed his heart. How could he let her die again?

_Answer;_ he couldn't.

"Amane –"

The sound of hooves drowned out his voice. Bakura saw a bright flash of light in Amane's eyes and her excitement as she leapt up, hugging herself with her arms. Knowing that he couldn't be heard, Bakura stood up after her, and swept her into his arms.

"Hey!" she squealed. "What are you doing?"

Bakura smiled at her – at his – his _sister?_

"I want to meet this brother of yours and tell her how lucky he is to have a sister like you."

_I want to know if you are really my sister – even though I think I love you as I would a sister anyway…_

"Besides, I have to tell your mother how kind you were to me before."

She laughed. "You're silly!" she giggled as Bakura tickled her while carefully keeping to the edge of the village. Sure enough, the horse broke free, its piercing whiny filling the air. Amane screamed in terror and clutched at Bakura's shirt.

"Shh…Don't worry – I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you."

_Not anymore…not again…_

Bakura waited until the horse had been captured again before making his way over to the merchant cart. A women with brown hair that fell in short waves across her face lay in the back of the cart, sleeping. Eyeing the reigns to ensure that they were indeed secure, Bakura lifted Amane up onto the back step before climbing up himself so that he could make sure she was alright.

"Goodbye, Amane…" he said as he ruffled her hair, earning him a stern glare. "Say hello to your brother for me."

"Wait! Aren't you coming with me?" she asked sadly.

"I'd like to, but I have something that I have to do."

He had to find the Pharaoh and make sure that _he_ was alright. There was no telling what may have happened to him if this was what he was going through. After all, the Pharaoh had a much stronger connection to the Shadow Realm than he did and was therefore a lot more susceptible to the mind games that it was playing with them.

As the two hugged a final farewell, the cart had finished being loaded and unloaded. The driver whistled sharply and the horses began to pull forward. Bakura jumped gracefully from the back of the cart, landing in a low crouch. Amane waved at him madly as the vehicle began to pick up speed.

Bakura felt good. So what if he didn't actually know if Amane was his sister or not? Yeah, there were still loads of questions he didn't know the answer to – why could she see him? Why could she touch him? But the important thing to Bakura was that he had saved her. It had been too unfair, too painful to watch time and again while the sweet child died. At least this time –

"Oh Ra…"

The left spoke of one of the front wheels had come loose and the wheel wobbled dangerously as the horses galloped towards the next village.

_Please, not again._

Bakura couldn't move – try as he might, he just couldn't tear himself from the scene unfolding in front of him. The wheel came free from the rest if the vehicle, sending it crashing to the earth. As it fell, the horses jerked forward at the last possible second, tugging the cart so that it flipped over.

Amane's scream called Bakura to action. He sprinted towards the broken wreck of wood and goods, digging furiously for the little girl and her mother. He tore frantically through the snapped planks, wincing slightly as rough splinters dug their way into his hands.

Suddenly, his hand met with a sticky fluid, and then tender flesh.

"Amane!" he cried. He was filled with fear as he managed to dislodge the body of the cart that was crushing her tiny body. With heroic effort, Bakura removed the rest of the debris, revealing little Amane, bruised and bleeding in the wreckage. As gently as he could, he lifted her body from the remainder of the ruin.

_Why? Why was this happening?_ He had saved her – why did she still die? A solitary tear slid down his face.

Amane coughed weakly and rested her hand on his face, wiping away the tear with her fingers. "Don't cry…"

"I don't want you to leave me," sniffed Bakura, trying to keep the rest of his tears from falling.

"I don't want to go," she admitted.

"I love you, Amane," he whispered.

Her mouth opened, but all that he heard was a soft sigh as Amane's eyes closed and body turned limp in his hold once more.

Bakura's mind throbbed. All he could hear were her angry accusations and his own broken oath.

"_He promised – he promised!"_

"_I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you."_

"_You promised – how could you do this? How could you let this happen to me?"_

Bakura didn't look. He knew who it was, but he didn't wish to be confronted with that sight again. He just couldn't face him. He knew that somehow, by failing Amane he had let him down. For some reason, every time she died something terrible happened to him as well.

He just didn't want to hurt Ryou anymore.

"Please," he pleaded. "No more. I don't want to do this anymore."

But even as the words left his mouth he could feel the Shadow Realm twist and reshape around him.

"No!" he screamed as he felt the cold purple mist wrap itself around him. He was not going to go through that again. He was not going to lose her again. Taking a deep steadying breath, Bakura stood up.

He had hurt him too much, he had taken over his body; his _life_. His hikari's bright soul was gradually growing darker – he could _feel_ it. Bakura would hate for what had happened to Marik to happen to Ryou. For him to feel so desperate that he would lose his mind.

He never wanted to make Ryou feel that way anymore.

"No, I won't do that again."

Tentatively, Bakura bent down and scooped up the broken body that was being healed in his arms. He felt the bones being knitted back together and as the blood faded from the pale face, Ryou disappeared and Amane returned.

"I won't lose you again…"

Clutching Amane tightly to his body, Bakura began to run as fast as he could away from the village. The shadows twisted around him, like a never ending tunnel, but he didn't care. He would run forever if it meant that he could save Amane…


	25. Chapter 25

I'd Die For You

Yay! I'm back and I'm updating for all of my lovely reviewers (and even my non-reviewers)! I missed you all so much while I was away, and I just couldn't wait to get started on this again!

**Starinthenight** – I know, it's so confusing! All I can say is; it gets worse. A lot worse. And it really is sad about Bakura…

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – thank you. The last chapter actually seems to have upset quite a few people. This chapter is pretty bad as well.

**NubianQueen413** – aww…thanks. It is terrible about Amane, and even after he tried so hard, she still, well, you know…

**StormySkys** – she has. I feel really mean about killing her so much, and in such a horrible way too! Oh well, the story must continue!

**Amessis** – oh! thank you so much! That's such a nice compliment, really – and yes, it is finally getting more exciting.

**Chibi Kitty** – yeah, I'm sorry about that, but I'm glad that you're waiting – er – have waited, for this chapter.

**Chibi Nao-chan** – yeah, it's really horrible…poor Amane. Wait to you read what happens in this chapter…and thank you, and I'll do my best to keep it up!

**Saphine** – thank you! I'm glad you like the story so far and I hope you'll enjoy the rest as well! Next chapter? Hopefully it will be updated again soon!

A/N I hope you all enjoy this chapter as it took me absolutely ages to write up, but I'm finally finished.

* * *

"Ryou?"

Haunted eyes lifted, meeting honey ones in shame.

"Gods…what happened to you?" asked Joey as he approached him. All he saw was blood – the crimson gleaming against Ryou's pale skin, like blotted ink on crisp paper.

"No!" cried Ryou as he raised his arms in front of his face in a gesture of fear.

"What?" asked a somewhat alarmed Joey.

"Stay away from me!" he begged. "Please – stay away."

As Joey moved forward, Ryou stepped back until he was pressed against the wall, his entire body shaking so much Joey thought he might fall apart.

"I won't hurt you," promised Joey as he approached him.

"But I'll hurt you…" whispered Ryou.

Strong arms found their way around his shoulders and pulled him close. Ryou struggled in a vain attempt to escape, but he was exhausted.

"I don't want to hurt anyone anymore…" he whispered weakly.

Joey felt salty tears soak through the thin fabric of his shirt which was probably also covered in blood, but he didn't care. Ryou looked awful. His eyes were wide and red, his voice raw from crying. Something truly terrible had happened to Ryou, Joey was certain.

_But what?_

He remembered Yugi's phone call.

Could this be related to the missing Items and absent Yamis?

"Ryou…"

The petite body of the pale boy trembled against his, and Joey knew that if it wasn't for him holding him upright, Ryou would be in a heap on the floor. Red hands grabbed the front of his shirt desperately.

"Please don't let me hurt anyone," pleaded Ryou as his legs gave way and he fell back into unconsciousness.

* * *

The shadows twisted menacingly around Bakura, the misty fingers reaching out to grab at him, to pull from his journey. He didn't know where he was running to, he only knew that he had to. Amane still slept in his arms, her silent murmurs making him lower his eyes every so often to check on her, to make sure that she was still there. To make sure that she was still _her_.

He couldn't face it if it was _him_.

Walls of dark light had built up around him, swirling in never-ending patterns that seemed to go on and on forever. The air had turned bitterly cold, and his breath froze as he breathing grew more frantic. Icy hands closed over his wrists and arms and neck. He shivered. How long would he have to run before he could escape this?

A dark laugh echoed around him. He vaguely recognised the voice, but he was too tired to care if he knew who it belonged to.

He was already insane anyway, what more would another voice do?

"_You can run forever, Spirit, but you will never escape. Believe me, I know."_

Bakura ducked his head down, trying to keep the voice out, but the sound of more evil laughter penetrated his mind.

"_Before long, you will know too. It is only a matter of time before the Shadows consume you too, Spirit…"_

"Leave me alone," chanted Bakura almost silently. "Leave me alone!"

"_Is that what you truly want? To be left alone?" _

_Yes! Just go – leave me alone._

"_Then left me help you,"_ the tone of mock sincerity chilled Bakura's blood. What did the voice mean?

_Is it going to leave?_

Bakura felt the icy tentacles loosen their grip on him and sighed a breath of relief which quickly turned to horror. Caught in a web of dark shadows, Amane was slowly being lifted out of his arms.

"No!" he cried.

"_But isn't this what you wanted? To be alone?"_ cackled the voice.

"Give her back!"

His only answer was the cold laugh that grew louder as Amane's body began to fade away.

"Give her back!" he screamed as he lunged forward, his fingers making contact for a brief moment.

Amane's eyes fluttered open suddenly.

"Ryou…?" she whispered.

* * *

Joey bit down on his thumb, wondering what in the name of hell he was going to do next. He had found Ryou Bakura, scared beyond imaging in the worst part of Domino and he should know – he grew up on those streets. Not only that, Ryou was soaked through with blood and Yugi was looking for him.

This was exactly how he had _not_ envisioned himself spending his day, but nonetheless that was how it had been spent so far.

Joey walked discreetly down the alleyway that he had followed to find Ryou – well, as discreet as you could look while you had an unconscious blood encrusted boy flung over your shoulder.

_Well I sure as heck can't stay here…_

The problem was that Joey didn't exactly have many options. He knew he had to get out of the open – and fast, but the neighbourhood was now alive with activity and would be until the early hours of the next morning. Joey had to somehow get Ryou from one side of Domino to the other.

His job had given him money, but not enough to buy and maintain a car. He was forever 'borrowing' Tristan's motorcycle and bumming lifts off people.

Shifting Ryou so that his elbow stopped digging into his ribs, Joey cast a nervous glance around the corner. What he saw nearly made him throw Ryou onto the floor and did his happy dance.

Glinting at him ever so mischievously from across the street was his father's car and his saving grace.

The man may have been a bastard of a man and a terrible parent with no respect for himself, but damn it to hell and back – thank the gods he was a man who valued himself based on his car.

He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before...

* * *

"Ryou…?"

In that one second, Bakura felt his whole world collapsing around him.

Amane – this girl who he had believed was his sister – she had just called him Ryou.

_This can't be happening._

"_Oh but it is, spirit."_

_This – this isn't real!_

"Just give her back!" he screamed as Amane was pulled away from him.

The voice laughed menacingly at him. "_She was never yours to begin with_."

"What do you mean?" Bakura demanded. "Tell me!"

"_Why tell, when you can see for yourself…"_

Bakura ran forwards, trying to reach Amane, but it was no use. The shadows kept dragging her away. The closest he managed to get was a brush of his fingers on hers…

Suddenly, the whole dark void that he was in seemed to vanish in a dull flash of cloudy light. He closed his eyes, but he felt his retinas burn as strange images danced in his mind.

Amane – and her mother – they were together, in a car.

"I finally get to see my brother again!" sang Amane happily as she bounced up and down beside her mother.

The woman smiled at her affectionately as she continued to steer the modern vehicle.

This – this made no sense. Why would Amane and her mother be in a _car_?

"Why are you showing me this?" he demanded of the strange voice, but it made no attempt at an answer.

"I can't wait!" she squealed happily.

"It has been an awful long time," her mother mused quietly.

"What's going on?" he screamed as he chased the car, determined to know the truth.

Suddenly, the tranquil scene was interrupted by the angry cry of another car – the screech of tyres and the crash of metal into metal…

"It can't be…"

Bakura stared in horror as he watched another car barrel into the one with Amane, sending the girl head first into the windscreen. He cringed when he heard the terrible 'crunch' and then the recoil. The glass of the headlights smashed together, white, orange and red bleeding together over the twisted silver that caged the girl.

"No…"

Bakura sank to his knees, fists pummelling the misshapen body of the car, trying desperately to force his way in, to save little Amane, but to no avail.

Her fragile body lay still against the leather, her hair drenched in the blood that covered her forehead.

"Amane," he whispered gently, his already raw hands screaming with renewed pain, but he didn't care. Nothing could compare to the pain of losing her again.

_She was never yours to begin with._

Bakura felt the bitter sting of tears. Was it possible that Amane wasn't actually his sister? he wondered as he lay his head against the window, feeling the burn of melting ice against his cold skin.

Soft eyelids fluttered open and Bakura found himself staring at his own reflection in coffee eyes. He hammered on the window, hoping to break through the glass, but only managed to smear the outside with his blood. The inside was already covered with Amane's.

"I love you," she mouthed as she placed a delicate hand on the glass, tracing the soft lines of Bakura's desolate face.

Hot tears spilled down his face as he felt himself crumbling, his breath catching in the back of his throat.

"I love you, Ryou…"

And that was when Bakura felt his heart break.

He remembered now why he hated the Shadow Realm so much, why he had gladly taken refuge in the Millennium Ring rather than face eternity with the shadows.

_I couldn't save her._

Gathering himself into a tight ball, Bakura didn't even notice the shadows begin to swirl round him. All he knew was that he felt cold, and tired – exhausted beyond belief. His eyes felt heavy, drained from the tears that he had shed and as they closed, he felt a strange warmth as the icy tentacles hugged his body, seeping in through his broken heart, trying to find the entrance to his mind so that they could pull him deeper and deeper into the shadows, where there would be no escape…

Bakura no longer cared enough to fight.


	26. Chapter 26

I'd Die For You

I know I haven't updated in a while, but most people are usually on holiday during the Summer anyway, right? Well, I wasn't one of those people; instead, I was one of the stay-at-homes who got a job for the Summer...

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – Bakura's in denial. Only this time it isn't made of blood, but in a way he's still drowning. (De Nile – geddit?) Joey and his dad's car – oh dear…And Yami? No comment…

**NubianQueen413** – umm…pokes Bakura Bakura turns over and yawns. I don't think he's dead yet, just sleeping. Don't ask – I think I need a slap.

**Mrpointyhorns** – yeah, Yami…I wonder what happened to him too. Don't I know? Well, I've been busy with Bakura…poor guy, you're right – he's crushed.

**Amessis** – what? Bakura? Die? Who said he was gonna die? He can't die! And Yami! Where the heck is he? Why isn't he saving Bakura? You'll see…

**Starinthenight** - pats her on the head don't worry, it will all be okay. Ryou and Bakura will be fine and live happily ever after. Waitaminute – that's not my story…

**StormySkys** – yep – yet something else unexplainably mysterious. Your guess on who or what it is is as good as mine! Not steal – 'borrowed' – there's a difference, you know!

**cute-little-Yugi** - nods in agreement definitely, hot chocolate is a miracle cure and everyone loves hugs - but who would Bakura's be from? Amane? Ryou? Maybe even – dare I say it – Yami?

**Sazume** – thank you, I'm glad that you do. I'm not whether I should be scared or not! And here is the update!

A/N I know that we haven't seen Yami for a while, but well, er…I don't really have that good a reason, just that Yami needs some 'rest' for his big 'thing.' Oh, that looks so bad – oh well, you read it as you wish, but remember that I meant it to be informative in a non-sex related way.

I will shut up now.

A/A/N (Additional Author's Note) I just looked over this chapter and have decided that it is very good – I have even impressed myself, which is no mean feat!

* * *

"_I love you, Ryou…"_

He could see her – see Amane – perfectly. He had just watched her death unfold before his eyes as though he had been there. But that wasn't possible – he hadn't been there. But the car – the horn – the flash of sunlight on broken glass…he couldn't have imagined it. It was so real, it _felt_ real.

It _was_ real.

But he hadn't been there to see it, to feel it. But deep inside his own mind, Ryou was certain that he had just felt it. Everything agonising second, every shard of glass and twisted spike of metal tearing through flesh and bone…

"No!" Ryou screamed as a memory he had never seen before burned through his mind.

* * *

Half asleep on a hard wooden bench somewhere – hopefully still in Domino – Marik's mind throbbed with the ache of exhaustion and overuse. He had barely slept, and even when it came near, it was always scared away by the words of the strange man who had visited him that night.

"_You will need all your strength and great courage for the fight that is to come."_

Marik frowned. What in the name of Ra did he mean? What fight? Who was the enemy?

"_No!"_

Marik's whole body jerked awake at the terrified, sky shattering roar that echoed in the morning air. The birds in the trees fled at the noise that seemed to find its way to the Tomb Keeper and choke him as he regained his thoughts.

"Ryou…" he whispered.

* * *

"_Woah_!" the agonised cry startled Joey, who swerved suddenly, bringing the car to an abrupt halt outside the entrance to the Central Domino Park.

Good thing it was still quite early – it seemed that no one else had been witness to what had just happened. If they were lucky, no one had heard them either. Joey wasn't being paranoid, or anything, but he knew first hand how complicated prying eyes and nosy neighbours were. It also didn't help that he had a reluctant charge in the back of his 'borrowed' car.

Needless to say, this wasn't the first time that Joey Wheeler had been involved in a somewhat unsavoury sort of activity, and despite his wish that it would be his last, deep down, he knew there were a lot more hardships he was yet to face in his young life.

"Ryou?" he spoke gently as he turned in the driver's seat. He had left Ryou sprawled across the backseat convertible, praying that the boy wouldn't get blood all over the cream leather upholstery. His father was gonna cane his ass enough as it was.

There was no reply, save for a low murmur that Joey couldn't understand; Ryou was lying with both arms covering his face, which had been buried under a mass of white hair, body twitching uncomfortably.

Climbing over his seat, Joey struggled to get Ryou into an upright position, but almost as soon as he touched him, he felt the boy's entire body tense.

"No!" he screamed again, his arms flailing in an attempt to get Joey to let go, but he just held on tighter.

"Ryou? Ryou, come one – it's me, Joey," he tried.

"Let me go!" Ryou cried.

"Ryou!"

"Get off me!" the pale boy screamed out again.

Suddenly, Joey felt himself pulling yanked away from the smaller boy.

"What the hell?" he demanded and spun around, ready to take out whoever was bothering him, and at a time like this too. "Get the heck off me – _Marik_?"

Joey's anger disappeared to be replaced by pure shock. He had never seen Marik like this – not even when he almost went crazy during Battle City.

Marik looked almost as bad as Ryou; his hair was wild and dull, his skin pale and gaunt. But what struck him most about the usually very attractive Egyptian were his eyes – how empty and hollow they looked, as though he held the weight of the world on his shoulders. _Again._

In his dazed state, Joey allowed himself to pushed aside as Marik took hold of Ryou by the shoulders. White arms fell, revealing an ashen, tear stained face. Marik withheld a gasp. Although Ryou's eyes were opened, it was obvious that he wasn't fully conscious. He seemed trapped in that place between reality and dreaming, although it was probably more like a nightmare.

"Please, leave me alone…" he begged, his flailing uselessly.

Marik stared at him, willing him to wake, but it didn't seem to have any effect. He even considered using the Millennium Rod, when –

"Ry-Ryou…" stammered Marik as he felt bony fingers wrap themselves around his wrists, wrenching them from Ryou's shoulders with inhuman strength.

Ryou's lips twisted into a feral smile, small fangs appearing in the corners of his mouth.

"What's going on?" asked Joey, who then 'eeped' when he noticed Ryou's eyes turning white.

Since his friendship with Yugi he had become aware of a few fundamental rules when it came to people; faces turning dark – bad, spiky hair – mental instability and badass shadow powers, but eyes changing colour? This was definitely a new one, but he was willing to bet that it wasn't gonna be good, whatever it meant…

Marik gulped as the repossessed Ryou leant his head forwards, so that his icy lips grazed the lobe of his ear sending a shiver down his spine. "You will not escape me again," he hissed as he yanked Marik's hands behind his back roughly.

"Don't do this, Ryou," whispered Marik although he knew it would have little effect.

His attacker laughed. "You know as well as I that I am not Ryou Bakura, Tomb Keeper."

"Then who the heck are ya?" demanded Joey, who finally seemed to have control over himself. With rigid steps, he approached the other teens so that he could help Marik. He hadn't a clue about what was going on, but when a friend was in trouble, Joey was always the first to help.

"Foolish mortal! Do you really believe you have the strength to defeat me?"

Joey took it as a challenge. "You bet. Now you better let go of Marik and then get the hell outta Ryou's body or I'm gonna –"

"You'll what?" 'Ryou' (for lack of another name to call him by at this moment) casually threw Marik onto the backseat and leapt out of the car until he stood face to face – well, eyes to nose at least, with Joey. "You have no idea the power I wield."

"Big talk from a little guy," sneered Joey.

"Joey don't! You don't know what he may do to you!" warned Marik as he picked himself up.

"Stay outta this!" demanded Joey. He did _not_ want to risk Marik getting hurt while he was there.

"You should have listened to your own advice."

In a flash of white and red, 'Ryou' seemed to disappear.

"Hey, where'd he go?" Joey looked around him, confused.

He didn't notice when 'Ryou' reappeared behind him, with a dark grin on his face. Marik gasped as a pale hand suddenly formed sharp talons…

"Joey! Behind you –"

"Huh?"

But Marik's warning came too late. In a single fluid motion, 'Ryou' slashed his right hand across Joey's back. The blond cried out as the force of the strike sent him tumbling to the ground, fountains of blood gushing out from behind him as he did so.

'Ryou' smirked as he stared at his work, the claws retracting. He licked his bloodstained fingers, savouring the taste of the spilt liquid.

"You – you monster!" Marik felt sick. How could anyone be so cruel as to attack someone like that?

"Do not think that I am finished yet, Tomb Keeper."

Marik gulped as 'Ryou' turned his eerie white eyes on him, so that he could see his own terrified reflection in them.

"You won't get away with this!" cried Marik as 'Ryou' advanced.

"Really?" he purred, stretching his bloodied hand towards him.

At that moment, the sound of an engine could be heard. 'Ryou' pulled back suddenly, smirking nonetheless.

"It seems that I will have to finish you another time."

"No!" shouted Marik, but the possessed hikari had vanished again. He stood for a few moments, unsure of what to do next. He really had to find Ryou – the real Ryou, but he also had to make sure that Joey – he gasped – was Joey alright?

With a panicked expression, Marik jumped out of the car and over to where Joey was lying sprawled out on his stomach on the road. He cringed when he saw what 'Ryou' had done. Huge gashes had been gouged into his back out of which his blood ran like rivers. His horror rose when he realised that it was thickening and turning purple…

"Oh Ra…" Joey needed help, and he needed it now.

The hum of the engine grew louder, and almost without thinking, Marik threw himself onto the road, arms wide open to stop the approaching vehicle. The large black limousine braked noisily, its tires screeching angrily on the black tarmac as though it were black ice.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" came an incensed voice from the rear of the motor. "You could have gotten us killed!"

Marik slowly opened his eyes, and almost fainted when he saw how close he had been to becoming road kill.

"Marik?" huge dark eyes blinked as they took in the Tomb Keeper, who looked like he had fallen out of a tree.

"Mokuba? Thank Ra!" he exclaimed in relief. "I need your help."

"What's going on?" Mokuba was worried, sure they trusted Marik now, but he had pulled some pretty sick stunts during Battle City, including kidnapping him. It was kinda hard to get over that, even if he had been influenced by his 'dark side.'

"It's Joey," answered Marik, pulling Mokuba over to where Joey lay.

Mokuba gasped. Joey Wheeler was lying face down in the middle of the road, blood pouring from a horrific looking wound. It looked like a wild animal had attacked him.

"Roland!" called Mokuba to his driver-slash-bodyguard-slash-whatever else he was to the Kaiba brothers.

"Mister Mokuba, are you alright?" he asked in concern, although it was probably as much out of fear of what Kaiba would do to him if anything happened to his brother as well as the actual well-being of his young charge.

"We need to get to a hospital. _Now_!"

With trembling limbs, Marik and Mokuba tried desperately to stem the flow of blood from Joey's injury as Roland called an ambulance.

Joey's body spasmed wildly as oxygen and blood became scarce. Marik felt his own heart pumping faster.

_You can't die, Joey…_

He would never forgive himself if he did. He had already done so much to the plucky young duellist, brainwashed him, made him duel against his best friend and then sent his mind to the Shadow Realm.

And now this…

"_I hurt everyone…"_

Marik shook his head to rid himself of the memory; of how helpless and hopeless Ryou had looked in his moment of confusion.

"No, Ryou…" he whispered to himself, in his own moment of revelation. "It is _I_ who hurts everyone…"


	27. Chapter 27

I'd Die For You

**Starinthenight** – don't worry, the evil 'Ryou' has gone. Well, for now at least…I can't blame you really, I was creeped out writing it. I couldn't even go to the bathroom on my own!

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – thank you very much and I know! But considering Marik is quite pivotal to the plot nothing particularly bad has happened to him yet, has it…?

**Chibi Kitty** – Bakura's memories will start to show up properly, hopefully, very soon. As for Yami…you will be happy to know that this chapter does indeed reveal what he is up to.

**StormySkys** – I know! I really didn't want to hurt Joey. And Marik, he means because he sent Yami and Bakura to the Shadow Realm, everything that has happened since is his fault.

**dragon goddess04** – I wish I knew what was coming next as well! Sometimes even I don't have a clue – I've changed my mind so much during this fic it's unreal!

A/N In my personal opinion this chapter kinda sucks compared to the last one.

* * *

The terrible silence that had filled the Moto household had been pierced by the loud wailing of the telephone. Almost reflexively, Ishizu grabbed the receiver from its hook, instinct telling her that _she_ needed to answer it.

"Marik? Oh Marik, thank Ra it's you!" Ishizu had never been so relieved.

"Master Marik? Is he safe?" Odion, despite his wishes, had been dragged back to the Game Shop by both Ishizu and Yugi, even though he still wanted to search for Marik. He had been so restless since his return that he had practically worn a rut into Yugi's floor.

"You're where? At the hospital!" Ishizu sounded shocked.

"What?" Odion stopped dead in his tracks.

"Why?" Yugi appeared from the bottom of the stairs, his eyes full of concern.

"Joey's there? He was attacked?" Ishizu's voice considerably as her mind processed the news.

At this, Yugi snatched the phone from Ishizu. "Marik? Marik, it's me, what's going on?" he demanded. Marik seemed to waver on the other end of the line. "Don't go anywhere," ordered Yugi. "I'm coming over there," he added as he hung up the phone.

"Yugi, what's going on?" questioned Ishizu, concern evident in her tone.

"I don't know," he replied. "But I'm gonna find out."

* * *

At the hospital

Marik hung up the receiver and sighed heavily. He was not looking forward to this. Explaining it to Mokuba had been bad enough, but now he'd have to do it all over again with Yugi, Ishizu and Odion. He closed his eyes, unsure if he'd be able to take the shame a second time.

* * *

Flashback

Marik sat stiffly in the back of Mokuba's limo, trying to ignore the wail of the ambulance siren. The paramedics that had arrived had immediately bundled Joey into the back, but insisted they everyone else stay out. From the sounds of things, whatever they would have to do to Joey would not be pretty.

So, Mokuba had kindly offered to take Marik to the hospital – Joey was his friend as well, after all.

"Marik," he began softly. Even at with his younger years, the boy could see that Marik's mind was in as fragile a state as Joey's body.

Marik looked up at him, soft amethyst eyes reflecting how languid he felt.

"Marik, what happened?" Mokuba asked.

No answer.

"Dammit Marik!" he shouted in exasperation. "Joey's my friend too, and I wanna know who – or what – did that to him!"

Marik was unsure of how he should respond. Yes, Mokuba deserved to know, but wasn't he a little young (and if he was anything like Seto Kaiba – a little too sceptical to believe him anyway? Then again, it had been him who convinced Kaiba to help the Pharaoh fulfil his 'Destiny'…)

"Ryou…" he whispered.

Mokuba's eyes widened. "It was Ryou?" he asked incredulously.

"No!" replied Marik quickly. "I mean – Mokuba, I'm not sure how to explain this to you," he admitted.

"Just tell me the truth."

End Flashback

* * *

So, Marik had told him everything (well, bar that bit about him sending Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura to the Shadow Realm, of course!) – about the missing Millennium Items, Ryou's possession, and Mokuba had listened gravely.

And that left the two of them sat outside the Emergency Room on those sticky little plastic chairs, anxiously awaiting news of Joey's condition while brooding on what was happening.

"Here you are, Mister Mokuba."

"Oh, thanks Roland," replied Mokuba as he took the hot cup of coffee from the man. He passed the other to Marik.

"Have the doctors said anything?"

Roland shook his head.

At that moment, the doors to the Emergency Room burst open as Yugi and the remainder of the Ishtars ran in.

"Marik!"

"Master Marik!"

Marik cringed, ready for his humiliating lecture about running off, but it never came. Instead, Ishizu embraced him tightly. He wanted to cry. He didn't deserve this.

"Marik?"

Looking down, he saw Yugi gazing at him with worried eyes.

"Yugi, I'm so sorry…"

Their anger he could take – but understanding and compassion? They had no idea how much of this was his fault…

* * *

Sleepily rubbing awake his eyes, Yami was surprised to find that he had fallen unconscious and was now in the middle of nowhere. _Literally_. He was completely surrounded by black. It wasn't like he was blind, or anything, but that was all there was. He was lying on a huge expanse of black. The ground was black, the sky was black – it was as though the ball of light had drained every colour from the world, leaving only the seething clouds of darkness behind.

He rubbed his head, wondering what had happened.

He remembered the strange baby, with the ability to wield Shadow Magic and shivered violently.

Things were getting stranger by the second, and Yami had no idea as to what might happen next. It was as though he had been thrown into a game with no knowledge of the rules or the stakes and although he was the King of Game, even he couldn't win something that he didn't know he was playing.

And he was now aware of the fact that even if he was the key player, there were so many other players as well. The strange baby, his parents, Bakura and Shadi…how did they all fit into his past and what was it with them? It seemed that all of them had some dark secret which would somehow affect him and yet he had no clue what that could possibly be.

And that was before he even considered the possibility of Kaiba or maybe even Yugi being involved. After all, Ishizu had told him that Kaiba had once been his High Priest and challenged him to a duel that had decided the Fate of the World…

And Yugi, his hikari, his twin soul, the light to his dark. Was it possible that he was somehow involved in all of this?

Yami had often wondered why Yugi had been chosen to gain possession of the Millennium Puzzle and why Fate had made it his Destiny to solve the mystery of the puzzle and release his soul. What vexed him even more was the fact that Yugi had so willingly accepted him as part of his life and why he had so readily allowed their souls to bond.

He had questions, to which he had no answers, and he had theories, but to them, he could find no proof.

All he knew was that he was trapped here. He couldn't return to the other side even if he wanted to. He and Bakura had no way of contacting the others for one, and then there was the other thing…

They had done the right thing in leaving hadn't they?

Of course, it wouldn't have done any good to place their hikaris in danger only so that they –

Yami sighed, hoping that Yugi and Ryou were alright without him and Bakura. He was well aware of the fact that the younger two were dependant on their stronger selves, but he also knew that the two of them needed to be more believing in themselves as well.

He could only trust that whatever dark future he had envisioned when he had last touched the Millennium Necklace wouldn't come to pass now that the Millennium Items had been sealed away and that he and Bakura were locked in the Shadow Realm.

But deep down, he couldn't help but fear that now it was not just the Fate of one world that hung in the balance. This time, the very nature of their predicament meant that time and space could be affected, distorting reality in a way that was irreversible.

It went without saying that the former Pharaoh felt more than a little in over his head.

Suddenly, Yami noticed a shimmer of silver from the corners of his eyes.

"Bakura?" he shouted, his voice echoing around him.

The light seemed to stop a moment and turn to stare at him, before moving again in unpredictable and irregular motions, as though playing with him.

Yami frowned. What was that weird light? – As it danced in front of his eyes, it looked almost like a ghost. Then again, if he was in the Shadow Realm, it was more likely to be another spirit.

"Bakura? Is that you?" he tried again.

The light seemed to shift itself until it formed the shape of a body and then _smiled_ at him. He couldn't see the smile, but he could _feel_ it.

"What are you?" Yami asked, more to himself then to the strange spirit light.

A quiet jingle seemed to play in his mind, a twinkling which sounded half of laughter, and half like speech.

_Could it be – could this thing be trying to talk to me?_

As bizarre as it sounded, Yami was convinced that this was the way in which the strange object before him communicated and closed his eyes, concentrating on the pattern of its gentle song.

_Follow me…_

"Follow you?" cried Yami incredulously.

The body of light glowed brighter, and Yami assumed that he had been correct in interpreting its desire. A strange warmth filled his body as the light circled around him and then began to flit away.

"Wait!" cried Yami as he raced after it.

He supposed he should wonder whether or not it was wise to follow something in the Shadow Realm and he supposed that he should have wondered where it would eventually lead him. But right then at that moment, all he cared about was the extraordinary sensation that filled his body and how he could get more of it.


	28. Chapter 28

I'd Die For You

**Starinthenight** – I thought that we could all use a break from all the glum and gore of 'Ryou.' Yami is gonna be a kinda relief to us all, all he has to deal with are dead priests…

**Lady-Dark-Devinity** – Yami on drugs, now there's an idea. But where would they get drugs from in the Shadow Realm? And I love Mokuba; I don't think he gets enough credit for his part in the show.

**StormySkys** – I know, but he can't exactly tell everyone that. They would probably think he'd gone crazy again and lock him up or something!

**dragon goddess04** – poor Yami, he really has no idea…What if it really is a trap? Damn! I want to know what happens too, must read next chapter…

**Sarah** – wow…I never knew my work could inspire such intense emotions. Excuse the posh English, I'm working on an essay for school…

**Chibi Kitty** – well Yami's troubles will start soon enough and then Bakura will be the sleepy airhead! My guess is he's off balance because he's never been in this kinds situation that he remembers.

A/N okay, I'm gonna tell all you guys this now. The second part of this fic ( you'll know when it starts ) is really weird. It's a lot different to the rest of the fic. it's actually the first time I've tried writing using this technique – it's called 'Stream of Consciousness' and basically shows you the thoughts of the character, but I've worked it so that it is in keeping with my own style.

Don't worry if it doesn't seem to make sense, believe me, even I'm a little confused. But for easy reference, use this Key;

"Words" Words that are being spoken

"_Words"_ Words that were spoken and are being remembered

_Words_ Thoughts/ thinking

Hope this helps!

* * *

Ishizu sat stiffly outside of the Doctor's office, pulling her linen wrap tightly over her arms. Although the hospital itself was warm, the Tomb Keeper felt an odd chill, nothing to do with the climate, but the situation.

Ryou had struck again. Marik had been adamant that the other hikari was possessed again, but that did nothing to ease her troubled mind. This 'possessed Ryou' had already tried to strangle her beloved brother, and now he had hospitalised Joey Wheeler.

But that wasn't the worst part.

The most worrying thing now was that 'Ryou' or whoever – whatever he was, was running loose somewhere in Domino. He could be anywhere, and many innocents could end up being hurt, but deep down, Ishizu knew that her greatest fear lay with her brother.

Marik had risked himself to stop Ryou and yet was still unwilling to blame him. He was fragile and trusting, but he was 'Ryou's' main quarry. _He_ was the one he really wanted, but Ishizu didn't want to lose him.

And then there was that man who attacked _her_. Her first instinct told her that they must have been the same man, but she couldn't be certain, and until she was she refused to alarm any one anymore than they had to be.

As Ishizu tried to tame her wild thoughts, Odion continued his agitated pacing in front of her, once again unable to relax.

Little to everyone's knowledge Joey Wheeler was important to Odion Ishtar.

Ever since their duel aboard Kaiba Craft 3 as part of the Semi-Finals of Seto Kaiba's Battle City Tournament, the Egyptian had held an unspoken regard and respect for the blond duellist. He was just and honourable – a friend who was willing to risk it all to help his friends, and in the end his strength of character had won out, and Joey had been the victor.

After recovering from the results of that duel, Odion learnt that Joey Wheeler then went on to withstand a direct assault from the Egyptian God card, Ra and come within seconds of winning the duel against Marik.

Joey Wheeler was truly a remarkable young man who even managed to free his own mind from the Shadow Realm, but even with such an achievement behind him, Odion was unsure whether or not Joey Wheeler could emerge from this fight unscathed.

After all, an injury could heal, but often the scars never truly disappeared, just faded while waiting for the right time to re-emerge. Just like Marik would stay a scar on his own conscience, Ryou was likely to remain forever a wound in Marik's mind, even if they did manage to save him.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the Doctor's office

"I'm afraid Mr Wheeler's injuries are a lot more serious than we first believed," revealed the Doctor gravely. He was an old looking man, a specialist in his field and the very best that money could buy – Mokuba had made sure of that when he had hired him to treat Joey.

Yugi bit his lip as he listened to the details, not quite knowing what to think about it all. Being the closest thing to family that Joey had realistically, Yugi – his best friend, and Marik had insisted on being told his condition, however good or bad.

Joey was still unconscious, although it was unlikely that he should lapse into a coma. But as relieved as Yugi had been at that piece of news, there was more still to come.

Joey was still critical; he had been admitted into the Intensive Care Unit on arrival, with Mokuba offering to pay for a Private Room. Although he was still breathing, it was just barely with the aid of an oxygen mask, and then it was done mainly by machines. He was also hooked up to a series of monitors and an IV drip and, as Yugi was being told, currently undergoing his _third_ blood transfusion as well as a series of blood tests.

Things didn't look good at all.

The Doctors' had been at a loss when they first saw the extent of the damage that had been done to Joey. Huge stitches were used to hold the gaping wounds together, but only for the time being. When Joey finally woke up he would need a full skin graft on his back.

Yugi wondered how Joey would react to the news when he finally woke up. Tears glistened in the corners of his eyes as he remembered a warning from the Doctor. Joey's injuries were very deep, and there was a chance that he could have damaged some nerves on his spine. Although they couldn't be sure of this until he woke up, Joey could have serious problems with his central nervous system, including a chance of paralysis.

Marik stared blankly at the Doctor as he spoke, the words not making any sense to him. He felt as though he wasn't there as the Doctor told them that Joey's body might not have to strength to recover anyway.

In other words; Joey Wheeler was dying.

And it was all his fault.

* * *

Somewhere, shrouded in all the darkness of the Shadow Realm was a spirit whose soul was darker than the shadows themselves, tortured, tormented and trapped. Bit by bit, the very essence of his being was being pulled apart, twisted and manipulated.

He was being destroyed so that his quintessence could be absorbed into the shadows, making them even darker, thickening already black blood.

_Darkness…so much darkness…_

It felt as though he was drowning in the night sky; a blind mind trapped by a tremendous storm in the middle of an ocean, a child in the throes of a terrifying nightmare.

He was cold.

_But I don't feel cold._

In fact, he couldn't feel anything at all.

He couldn't remember ever feeling anything.

He couldn't remember –

What was the last thing he remembered?

_I couldn't save her…_

A flash of brown and a shock of white –

_Her_? Who was her?

"_What if you forget me?"_

The crunch of something soft –

"_I could never forget you."_

_Why can't I remember?_

The sound, that terrible wailing…

Bakura groped his mind, desperately searching for her – for who – for _what_?

Bone into dust; _ash_.

Everything was slipping away – disappearing…

Dark tentacles reaching out to him – he wanted to touch them –

They were cold. They were like fire on his skin. Hot tears and icy blood…

_Where am I?_

Shadows – the shadows were everywhere, surrounding him, with him – inside of him.

_Why_? Why was this happening to him?

A glint of cold silver, the splash of blood, the bitter stench of death…

"_You're so evil you should live forever." _

He was evil? When did things get to be so bad?

"_I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you."_

Promises…so many…

"_He promised – he promised!"_

…_broken promises_.

Broken…broken bones, broken dreams.

Broken hearts…

"_He promised me – that one day – he's going to catch a falling star and then give it to me." _

Why did the promise seem so familiar? What was it –

_Stars_? He remembered something about stars – something someone had told him…

"_I was told that when a person died, their soul was transported to heaven and when it got there, it became a star."_

But weren't stars all alone?

Darkness…it was so dark…he could drift forever in the ocean of black, not knowing where he was going. No, there would be nothing.

He would be alone.

_But I don't want to be a star – I don't want to be alone._

Was he alone? Wasn't there someone else?

"_We."_

Who was 'we?'

"_But isn't this what you wanted? To be alone?"_

That voice! Where did it come from?

_No – no, don't leave me alone!_ He wanted to reach out – to touch the voice, anyone, anything…

"_You kissed me!"_

Soft lips on his – warm breath in his mouth – the kiss of life.

"_I care not what fate befalls you."_

No – he did care – he needed him!

It was so dark, so cold…and he was all alone.

"_Stay away from me!"_ No – he couldn't bare being touched – the horrible sting, the burning…

He was suffocating! He was being strangled!

_Please! I hate being alone…_

He didn't want to lose anyone else.

But who had he lost? Bakura couldn't – he couldn't remember! As soon as his mind touched on something even remotely familiar he felt a sharp, shooting pain in his mind.

He could barely even remember his name, but then, was it even his name? What was it?

"_Bakura…"_

…

"_Spirit…"_

…

"_Tomb Robber…"_

…

"_Thief…"_

Thief – his name had been stolen, no doubt. Nothing he had was his.

"_She was never yours to begin with_."

No, everything was stolen; lies and deceit.

He was nameless – no-one; _nothing_.

It didn't matter what became of him – there was no one to wonder, no one to care.

He was tired. Yes, he remembered being tired, as though he had been running for a long time. And his arms – his arms ached, but nothing compared to the terrible pain that gripped his heart –

He couldn't feel anything. It felt _empty_, and that hurt more than anything else.

He couldn't remember anything else – joy, sadness, anger, grief…he felt drained – they were just words with no meaning to him.

He wanted to rest – to sleep.

Wasn't he already asleep?

He didn't care, he _couldn't_ care. He was ready to sleep. Ready to melt into the nothingness and become a part of the void forever.

Nothing else mattered to him anymore.

Bakura almost felt like laughing. "There's no one here to save me anyway."

But who he was talking to he didn't know, nor remember, all he remembered were firm lips and strong arms, but not even they would save him this time.

"_I won't let you die."_

_You have no choice…_


	29. Chapter 29

I'd Die For You

**Dark-Lady-Devinity** – I know, it's all terribly sad – I don't know what possessed me to treat poor 'Kura this badly! Oh well, must be Yami's turn soon…

**dragon goddess04** – the Shadow Realm is evil, Bakura's fading away and Yami's just lost somewhere…The suspense is starting to drive me crazy!

**Amessis** – wow, long time! I'm happy to see that you're still reading this story. Yami has been so useless recently, and as for Bakura…?

**Starinthenight **– HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Mine was on the tenth…anyway, thank you! That's really a great compliment especially since it's the first time I've tried that style.

I was going to dedicate this chapter to you, but it's a bit boring, so I'm gonna give you the next chapter your birthday pressie instead! Believe me, it's a lot better! Anyway, I hope you have a really great day!

**StormySkys** – glad you did! I know, those two need to hook up again. Fast! And then, and then – well, not sure yet but they need to do something! Thanks, that's just so nice of you to say!

**AZNgummigurl** – oh my! Wow, I mean thank you so much for all your compliments. Honestly, it gives me the push I need to get motivated to write more! Anyway, I'm really happy that you took the time to read and review all those chapters

**Chibi Kitty** – Yami suffering will be coming soon enough and yes he is strangely erm, dense at the moment. It's not really his fault; he just doesn't understand the Shadow Realm. But that's no reason to leave Bakura suffering…

A/N – I just deleted my A/N without saving, I'm so stupid and now I have to type it all up again. Anyway, I love all my reviewers, I really do. Without you guys this story just wouldn't happen.

I know you'll all hate me for this, but I decided that after the intense last chapter, we needed a break. But don't worry, because the next chapter will be interesting again and if you ask me nice I may make it a quick update!

A/A/N – I had planned to update earlier, bit I just never got round to it – I apologise! That said,. I've made this quite a long chapter to compensate, and I've just been typing up a future chapter and I have to say it; you guys are in for one heck of a story!

* * *

Arthur Hawkins stood in the doorway of the grand guest room of his country home as he watched his old friend pack his bags, ready for their journey.

Their plane was due to leave early morning after next – Arthur had already planned the excursion before Solomon had even agreed. He knew his old friend well enough to know that he would give him his consent and had organised the trip in advance. It was an opportunity not to be missed, after all.

"Excited, Solomon?" he asked with a sly grin.

"Of course I am, Arthur!" replied his friend as folded up another pair of his trademark green dungarees and placed them on top of his neatly organised suitcase.

"You should be," added the good professor. "This promises to be a magnificent adventure," he said, his eyes glowing in way that Solomon knew well.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're not telling me everything?" he asked in return, the corners of his lip turning upwards.

Arthur shrugged his shoulders casually, but the tone of his voice told Solomon everything he needed to know. "You'll see soon enough, now hurry up and finish packing – there's something else I want to show you before we leave."

"But our flight isn't for another day!" protested Solomon; like Yugi, he had never liked packing and when it was done at the last minute, it was always a rushed mess. Had Arthur not given him a hand with his case he was certain it would look like a washing machine explosion and no doubt he would have forgotten his toothbrush or extra underpants or something…

But by now the grey haired man was more than just a little curious as to what it was his friend was still hiding from him. Knowing Arthur, it was probably something of great importance or significance.

He heard a chuckle as he tried to force in another crumpled shirt while trying to smooth out the creases in the process, but he only ended up making it worse.

"Solomon, you'll never get everything ready at this rate," Arthur laughed jovially.

Solomon huffed and then pouted – well, Yugi had to get his trademark facial expression from _someone_ – and placed his hands on his hips. He looked remarkably like Yugi had as a child when he had failed to get his own way. If Solomon could have seen himself he would have laughed until he cried.

Arthur took his response good humouredly and flapped his hands at the Game Shop own, shooing him away.

"Let me finish this up for you old friend," he offered. "I suppose it was rather unfair of me not to tell you about this earlier…Tell you what, Solomon – why don't you go and call Yugi." He paused as he saw a small smile break onto the old man's face. "You two haven't spoken in a while and I'm sure he'd love to hear from you."

"Alright then," answered Solomon, thankful that he no longer had to face one of his most abhorred tasks. Then again, considering that he kept the Game Shop so organised it was quite a surprise that he found it difficult to pack a simple bag.

"I'll be out when I finish," waved Arthur as Solomon disappeared through the door.

Solomon Moto felt uneasy as he dialled the familiar number to his grandson. He wasn't sure, but a part of him was telling him that something was wrong. He shrugged it off, perhaps he was only apprehensive about his going to Egypt – he felt more than a little guilty for abandoning Yugi in pursuit of his childhood dreams.

He took in a breath as the phone lines connected.

"Moto residence," came Yugi's chirpy voice.

"Hello Yugi –"

"No one's here right now, but you can leave a message at the beep!"

Solomon frowned as he was cut off by the pre-recorded message. That was odd to say the least – even when factoring in the time differences, it must have been late back home in Domino – Yugi should have been home…And Yugi had said that the Ishtars were staying over at the house.

He hung up the phone as the beep sounded. Perhaps he was simply reading too much into it. After all, if it was late then there was a good chance that everyone was already asleep – he could always call Yugi before they had to leave for the airport anyway.

As he hang up the receiver, Arthur appeared, having finished his packing.

"Is everything okay, Solomon?" he asked in a concerned tone. "You look troubled, old friend."

"Oh, it's nothing," he replied with what he hoped was a carefree smile.

"Nothing wrong with Yugi, I hope." Arthur knew that Yugi was a special boy, his granddaughters feelings towards the young duellist were a testament to that – she wasn't interested in just anybody…

"No, no," said Solomon a little too quickly. "It's just I had hoped to speak with him, but I'm afraid I only got the machine."

"Solomon…" family meant a lot to Solomon and Arthur had always respected him for that.

"Oh, don't worry about me Arthur – I'm just being silly. It's just – I remember when Yugi was younger and when I went away he'd pick up the phone on the first ring…I guess I just miss being the most important thing in his life."

Arthur placed a comforting hand on his friends shoulder. Solomon seemed to perk at the touch and shook his head, a bright smile quirked to his lips and he turned to his friend.

"Arthur, you still haven't told me whatever it was you were about to say before!"

"Ah!" came the short reply. "Come into the Drawing Room, Solomon. All the information is on my laptop."

* * *

Meanwhile

"Croquet, I assure you I am fine. Do stop fussing." Pegasus frowned. Ever since _that_ night Croquet seemed to have been even more watchful over him – even more than when he had lost the Eye and been ill all those months…Really, usually he wouldn't mind the additional attention, but at that moment in time it really was too much for his nerves to bear. He was already jumpy enough about the eerie man in black to worry about without his – however well meaning – Croquet.

"As you wish, Mister Pegasus," replied the old butler-slash-bodyguard-slash-whatever else he was to Pegasus. However, despite his submission, he was still uncertain.

Pegasus had been acting – _strange_ recently. Sure, the successful man tried to hide it, but after years of service, Croquet noticed every little change in his master. He remembered how he had nearly gone crazy when his wife perished so shortly after they're tragic marriage and how he nearly killed himself afterwards by throwing himself into his work. He thought back to how ill he had become after his defeat at the hands of Yugi Moto, and how he had never truly recovered before the shock of having his company taken over by the sensationally powerful Paradia.

_And now this. _

Was his master doomed to live a life full of tragedy and misfortune?

Lately, Pegasus had been a lot more jumpy, for lack of a better word. He seemed paranoid – constantly looking over his shoulder. He had his bodyguards on full alert at all times and refused to leave the manor. On a bad day he would refuse to leave his own room and refused to leave the bed. He had even lost his air of aristocratic haughtiness that he had displayed with such pride for so long.

Something was most definitely up, but Pegasus had always kept his true intentions to himself, and so it was difficult for even Croquet to even try and guess what his real motives were.

"Well?" snapped the rather irritated owner of Industrial Illusions.

Croquet just stared at him blankly as the pair stopped at the end of a long corridor.

"Leave!" Pegasus demanded, waving away his most trusted henchman flippantly. He really wasn't in the mood to have to deal with him – or anyone for that matter. The past few weeks he had had all work related calls dealt with by his Board of Directors. He barely knew what was going on with his Company anymore. But he needn't have worried – Duel Monsters was still as popular as ever and with the new business venture he had arranged with Duke Devlin Pegasus was as rich as he had ever been, if not more. Too bad money mattered little to a man on the brink of insanity with worry and anxiety.

"When will this nightmare end?" he wailed as he entered his chambers.

"You're troubles are just beginning," sneered a menacing voice from within the room.

Pegasus' hand fell from the doorjamb and he stared in horror at the cloaked figure that was sat ever so nonchalantly in _his_ armchair, a glass of _his _wine held lazily by slender, gloved fingers.

An elbow was propped against the arm of the chair and his chin rested on a closed fist. His head was slightly inclined to the side and Pegasus knew that beneath his hood he was watching him with a bemused expression. He was teasing him the way that Pegasus had once tormented his own victims.

"Why the long face?" the man asked sardonically. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Are you going to kill me?" questioned Pegasus, his trembling voice catching in his throat.

He was answered by a dry laugh. "If I had wanted to kill you then I would have done it by now." He paused momentarily, although it seemed much longer to Pegasus. "No, I have still have use for you yet."

_He's toying with me…_

"What is it that you want from me?" cried Pegasus in his rather over dramatic way of speaking. One could be forgiven for thinking the millionaire would fall to his knees and beg for his life.

"You know of the man, Solomon Moto, do you not?" inquired the cloaked stranger casually.

Pegasus was taken aback. "I do," he replied, confused as to what the old man had to do with this mess. He remembered once stealing his soul, but since then the man had meant next to nothing to him.

"He has a friend, a Professor Arthur Hawkins." The stranger spoke as though the statement explained everything.

"The archaeologist?" Pegasus asked with a quizzical look on his face. He remembered the name from his own days of travelling and knew that he was quite an authority in his field.

"Correct, and like you he specialises in lost civilisations; namely Ancient Egypt." Gently, he swirled the wine around in the glass, careful that none should spill, but enough that the inside of the cup was stained with red liquid.

"Yes, but I don't see –"

But Pegasus was interrupted by the hidden figure. "I want you to follow the Professor."

"But why?" asked Pegasus.

"I have recently come into the knowledge that he has made a rather startling discovery," he revealed mysteriously as he threw a round silver object his way. Pegasus fought the urge to duck, thinking that it could be a deadly Japanese throwing star designed to decapitate him.

Pegasus caught the thin, circular disk in his hands and turned it over in his fingers. Whoever this man was, he had access to some high quality stuff – this was a very new and expensive device. He squinted his eyes so that he could read the tiny line of engraving that ran around the edge of the compact disk. He could barely make out the smudged looking letters, but managed to guess what they must have been.

_KE or maybe that's an X…_?

But whatever it was… He thought he recognised them – but this couldn't have been taken from…No, it just couldn't be.

This man was either very well connected, or a brilliant thief.

"All the information that you need you will find on this disk." The cold voice broke him from his thoughts.

"What am I looking for?" pressed Pegasus with a frown. If the man was talking Ancient Egypt there were any number of things that he may have wanted. How was he supposed to separate one treasure from the next?

"You'll know when you find it," he answered enigmatically. In a flash of movement, the dark figure swept from the ornate armchair over to the huge glass window. "And don't try anything that you might regret – you will only live as long as I see fit. Remember that," he added threateningly as he leapt onto the ledge of the balcony before jumping into the darkness of the night.

Pegasus could only stare at his glass of wine perched on the edge of the balcony, the crimson liquid within the fine crystal glowing blood red in the clouded moonlight.


	30. Chapter 30

I'd Die For You

**A/N** – this chapter is dedicated to **Starinthenight** – Happy (very belated) Birthday!

**A/A/N** - I just wanna thank for all the ace upgrades! Kudos to them!

* * *

The sound of ringing woke a lightly sleeping form, sprawled haphazardly over the couch, his pale face hidden by a mass of tangled tresses. Startled, Ryou Bakura tumbled to the ground, landing on the rug covered floor with a soft 'thud.' He groaned as his mind found consciousness and, his whole head ached for some reason he couldn't quite fathom but he knew for a fact that it couldn't have been just from the fall. 

He blinked, but found that he couldn't see properly through his eyes; it was as though a cloudy film had been hung over them. He sighed, wondering how long he had actually been asleep. He vaguely remembered arriving at Yugi's house in a crazy state, screaming about his missing Yami.

_It was raining – _

And then he had collapsed and spent many nights in a fitful slumber.

_And my dream…_

Ryou laughed, and then coughed as he stood up shakily. His mouth felt dry, but there was a strange taste on his tongue. He shrugged. He hadn't eaten or drunk anything in a while – it was probably just dry saliva.

His dream had been so strange. As Ryou thought over the memories, he swore that some parts almost felt real.

But that just couldn't be.

Still, he would find Yugi to make certain – unless he was out searching for _his_ 'missing Yami.'

Really, that was some crazy dream – the Millennium Items had gone missing as well, and then the Ishtar family arrived…

_Yeah, that's likely – Marik and his family have returned to Egypt._

"Yugi?" his voice croaked painfully. He looked around, but as he moved, he felt the Earth move with him. Stumbling backwards, he landed on the sofa which gave a moan at his abrupt appearance.

Ryou moved a hand to his pounding head, wondering just what was the matter with him. It felt as though his brain was on the verge of exploding in his head.

"Yugi?" he cried again, hoping to hear the sound of his friend. His body sighed in relief when he heard his cheery voice, but then it turned into a frown when he realised that it was the answering machine.

_Where is Yugi?_

Perhaps _he_ was sleeping. It was late after all and Ryou had interrupted him at quite a late hour before hand. The poor boy was probably almost as exhausted as he was. His eyes tried to seek out the antique Grandfather clock that was kept in the hall, but to no avail since his eyes meant that he was still too blind to make out anything except for the glare of the red button on the answering machine.

He sighed, and resigned himself to find a sink, clean his face and then find some food. His stomach gave a strange growl – perhaps he would go to bathroom as well.

The whole house had been left in virtual darkness, save for the meagre light afforded to him by the moon and he stars, so Ryou struggled to make his way out of the living room. On his way, he managed to tangle himself in something and tripped. As he fell, a loud ripping sound could be heard in the otherwise silent air.

Unravelling himself from the soft fabric, Ryou pulled it closer to him, trying to figure out what exactly it was. The material was smooth and silken, and as Ryou ran his hands along one of the folds, he was surprised by the feel of cold links that formed thin chains. He frowned as his fingers tugged gingerly at laces, along what he could only guess was the neckline – this _thing_ vaguely reminded him of – Ryou brought it to his nose –

_Marik_.

The smell of sun and sand lingered in his nostrils and a wave of sickness passed over him.

_This can't belong to Marik – he – he's back in Egypt!_

"_But he just tried to kill Master Marik!"_

No – that was just a dream!

"That was just a dream," whispered Ryou weakly.

Yugi! Yes, that was it – he would find Yugi and he would tell him that this was all just a terrible dream – a nightmare.

"_It was just a bad dream, that's all."_

Yes, Yugi would make him see sense, just like he had the first time when he had dreamt of the woman and her blood…

Waitaminute – _blood_?

Suddenly, his mouth became even drier, but his palms became sticky with sweat. At least, he hoped it was sweat.

"Yugi!" he cried out desperately.

Blindly, Ryou stumbled forwards again, groping about in the darkness for something, anything that he could use to guide himself. Finally, Ryou managed to find the wall, his clammy hands squeaking when they made contact, and used it as a way to guide him out of the living and up the stairs.

Frantically racking his memory, Ryou pushed the door on his right and practically fell into the bathroom.

"Ow!" a sharp pain struck his hands and knees, as though he had landed on gravel or glass.

_Shattered glass…_

A clenched fist striking hard ice…

Ignoring the pain, Ryou pulled himself to his feet by sheer force of will and walked shakily over to the sink. Trembling hands reached to turn the taps on and filled the tiled room with the sound of running water.

He tried to ignore the jangle that seemed to accompany – like stones being dropped into a half full fish tank…

"It was just a dream…" he mumbled to himself as he gathered up a pool of water in his cupped hands and splashed it onto his face, relishing the feel of cold water hitting his drowsy nerves. He rubbed his eyes, removing the sticky film that had formed and allowed the light to enter them again.

_All a dream…_

Fully awake, Ryou lifted his head to look at his reflection – but it wasn't there.

The entire mirror, which he _knew_ hung behind the sink, was missing – he looked closer.

_No…_

Around the edge of the glass panel, was a border of fragmented glass that glinted menacingly in the light.

"No!" Ryou screamed and glanced at the floor, horrified to find the missing shards that were also embedded into the palms of his hands and his knees.

His hands!

_Oh gods…_

They were covered in blood – so much blood. He stared in horror at the pale skin that was now covered in flaking red substance that reached up past his elbows.

No – the blood wasn't there – he had to be imagining it – it couldn't possibly be –

A knot twisted itself in Ryou's stomach, making him feel sick with realisation.

He had killed an innocent man.

_He had killed Joey Wheeler._

"No!" Ryou refused to believe it – he couldn't have. He was still dreaming – yes, that was the answer – he was still dreaming and all he had to do was wake up.

_Wake up!_ he willed himself. _Just wake up._

"_Ryou! Ryou wake up!"_

_I want to wake up from this – this nightmare._

"_It was just a bad dream, that's all."_

_Just a dream…_

_It was more than I dream, Yugi,"_

_No – it's a dream!_

"_I know it was real!"_

_Please don't let it be real…_

"_She's dead!"_

_Please don't be dead._

"_It's all my fault…"_

"Why is it always my fault?"

Blood – so much blood.

Too much.

And the smell – _no_! Ryou could feel that same urge overcoming him again. He had to get rid of all the blood, before – before _it_ got out again and took control.

Before he hurt someone else.

"I need – I need –" he gasped shakily, the air no longer filling his lungs with enough oxygen. "Blood – I have to, have to –"

_I have to get rid of this blood…_

His eyes darted around the room frantically, and finally fell on the bright white bathtub. Before he even knew what he was doing, Ryou was sitting in the bath, still fully clothed and had both taps turned on full.

His skin screamed at him, turning red and white in the icy and scolding bursts of water, but he didn't care. He would completely freeze and burn his skin off if it meant that it got rid of all the blood.

_No – I have to get rid of the blood._

Grabbing a pumice stone that he saw on the side of the tub, Ryou tried to use it to get the blood off, but it seemed that not matter how hard he rubbed, there was always more blood.

_Why is there so much blood?_

The bathtub began to fill with bloodstained water, but still, Ryou scrubbed at his blistering skin. The sound of scratching seemed to drown out the splash of water that Ryou sloshed about in carelessly, sending waves of reddened water crashing to the bathroom floor. The sticky liquid cascaded over the edge of the tub, picking up the broken pieces of glass and swirled them around the room like white ash in molten lava.

"Have to – more blood…"

Ryou licked his lips and then regretted it as the bitter taste of blood stung at his tongue. The taste was so intoxicating – he felt his whole body shiver with need as the syrup dissolved in his mouth. His hands were still red with it – all he had to do was…

_Can I?_

Ryou felt his eyes growing heavier as the sweet smell of blood overwhelmed him again. The whole world around him seemed to fade away to nothing and soon all he was aware of was the red paint that coated his hands; blood that he had spilled and then drunk like wine.

The blood of innocents. Then again, that made it that much more delicious when he consumed it.

Idly, he wondered how his own blood would taste.


	31. Chapter 31

Yeah, I know I said twenty four hours, but in my defence I didn't say how many...

In other news:

I know a lot of you are desperate to find out what's happening with Ryou, BUT you won't find out today - call me evil, but you'll find out soon enough! But I am giving a bit of Yami, and a few more surprises are ready to emerge in the next few chappies...

* * *

**I'd Die For You**

Tears glistened in the corners of Yugi's half closed eyes as he fought to suppress the wave of emotion that threatened to consume him.

_It's not fair._

His hands clutched the flat pillow as he tried to will himself to sleep - to pass the night quickly so that he could see Joey.

_Joey..._

Joey was a good person and he certainly didn't deserve this.

So what if he had committed his own fair share of crimes in the past? He had changed and not only that, Joey Wheeler was his best friend.

"Joey…" he whispered, wondering how his friend was doing, hoping that he'd get through it like he always did.

Truth be told, the group had been close to being kicked out of the hospital, but Mokuba had told Roland to speak to the Doctors and they had agreed that with his condition, it would be better for Joey to stay in the Intensive Care Unit of the Private Sector of the Hospital after he was finished in ER.

Mokuba had also managed to sweet-talk all the nurses into allowing the group to stay in a couple of the spare rooms so that they would be able to hear any new news straight away. Yugi would have done it himself, but his usually irresistible chibi eyes were too red and puffy.

He knew that Mokuba had gone well out of his way to help them yet again, and he couldn't thank the boy enough.

"Don't mention it, Yugi," he had said with a bright smile. "I want what's best for Joey, too."

Yugi nodded in mutual understanding.

"Listen, call me if anything else happens, okay?"

"Aren't you staying?" asked Yugi.

"I would, but there's something I have to do," he explained. "I'll come back as soon as I've finished," he added. "Don't worry, Joey always comes through in the end – I'm sure he'll be fine."

Yugi only managed a weak smile in return to the boy's youthful optimism. He hadn't heard what the Doctors had told him about the state that Joey was in. He really was in a bad way and this time, there was nothing any of them could do to help.

"I'm really sorry, Yugi," Marik whispered from the darkened doorway, his voice so quiet Yugi failed to hear him as sleep began to overtake his busy mind. As much as he would have preferred it otherwise, Marik had been chosen to share a room with Yugi. He was worried, Yugi had a certain effect on people – a way to gain trust and help the truth to emerge…How could he forget the time that he had attempted to control the mind of Joey Wheeler, only for Yugi's purity and innocence to break his hold and free his friend.

It was almost ironic that once again he had put Joey Wheeler in more danger than necessary and left him fighting for life once again. Had he still been evil he would have found it amusing.

"Marik? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Odion and Ishizu appeared from behind him, concern dancing over their tired features.

"I –" he began, but then his words seemed to evaporate.

"Marik…"

"This is all my fault," he said quietly, his eyes trained on the squeaky linoleum floor.

"What?" Ishizu paused and observed her grief-stricken brother with compassionate eyes. "Oh, Marik – you can't blame yourself for this –"

"You don't understand!" Marik cried out unexpectedly, his eyes wild with conflicting emotion. "You don't know what I've done!"

Suddenly, Marik turned and broke into a run, his footsteps echoing on the empty corridors as he sprinted from the Hospital. The woman on the Reception Desk gave a sharp retort at the noise, but was silenced by a dark look from Ishizu.

"Master Marik!" called Odion, about to follow, but he felt a restraining hand on his arm. "Miss Ishizu?" he asked, confused.

"Let him go, Odion. This is something he must do alone," she answered sadly. "I do not know exactly why Marik is blaming himself, but I doubt any of our words would be of comfort to him."

She thought that Marik was referring to what his Dark Side had dome back in Battle City. Marik was right – she had no idea what he had done this time.

* * *

Yami shivered. It seemed that time took no precedence in the Shadow Realm, with day passing into night almost in an instant. Then again, he had much more important things to be worrying about as opposed to the change in time and temperature. 

He needed to find Bakura and stop them getting separated. This was starting to get ridiculous now. Every time they were split up, something awful would happen to them; memories they had forgotten or never knew began to surface, and Yami wasn't sure how much of it he could take.

_I wanted to regain my memories, but not like this. This wasn't the way it was meant to be…_

Yami recalled the moment that Yugi had announced that he was finally going to remember. Only…that night, when Yugi's mind had drifted into unconsciousness, leaving his own to think he had been struck by a vision – stronger than any he had ever experienced before.

It was, so strange. Previously he had had to have been touching the Millennium Necklace for there to have been any effect, but that evening the vision had entered his mind and left a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Something was coming to claim the Millennium Items, of that much he was certain. What he didn't know was who or when. From the vision he guessed that the destruction of the World was on the Agenda again, but as Marik had told him, in order to use the Millennium Items to their full potential the wielder had to be of Royal blood. Or have slain him in battle.

As far as he knew, he was the only descendent of his father and so the ancient bloodline had to have ended with him. Therefore, whoever it was that wanted to take control of their power had to first defeat him – that was one of the reasons why he had allowed himself to be transported to the Shadow Realm.

The other was to protect Yugi, just as he supposed Bakura wanted to do for Ryou.

It was true that Bakura made out that Ryou was nothing more than a host body to him, but no matter how much he tried to deny it, he had bonded with the white haired boy. Then again, when you're forced to share a soul it was difficult not to grow at least a little close.

_Oh, Bakura…_

He had seemed devastated after whatever he had seen the last time. Yami was scared that this time he might not be able to take it.

His own visions since entering the Realm had been somewhat confusing to say the least. Dead priests and babies with the ability to wield the power of the Shadow Realm – it was hard for him to take in. He wasn't certain, but perhaps the child had some relation to him, but then, why would he have to be kept away from the Pharaoh and was that Pharaoh _him_ in the past?

And then there had been that strange light. He was still unsure of whether or not it was a spirit, but after he had pursued it for some time, it seemed to fade away into the darkness, and Yami had once again found himself hopelessly lost.

_What in the name of Ra is happening to me?_

He wondered if he had imagined it in his desperation.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of a child whispering in his sleep.

Yami looked up, surprised to note that the Shadow Realm had re-formed around him once again, although this time, he hadn't noticed.

The sky had turned from bright cerulean to inky sapphire and in front of him a small fire burned. Yami frowned. Why was a fire burning in the middle of the desert? Had it been a village he would have understood, but who in their right mind would camp out in such a place and with a child, too?

"When can we start moving again?"

Yami's eyes fell on the pretty young woman that he recognised to be Tiy from the rainbow coloured tent that he had been in only moments earlier.

"Tiy, I don't think we should be travelling so much – not with you so near."

"We have no choice, Ramose."

"I won't do anything to endanger you or the children," he answered firmly.

"If we don't, it gives the Pharaoh's Priests chance to find us." Her face was grave as the shadows cast by the flames danced over her, turning her hair red in the warm light.

"We have succeeded in evading them for so long now."

_So many long, hard years…. _

What little money they once had had now dwindled away into nothing. It was hard to get work when you knew that you would only be in a village for four days at most – they dared not stay longer for fear of being found.

"True, but that was only because we kept drifting from place to place."

It had been such a strain, on her, her husband and their child. Soon the strain would get worse.

Ramose sighed. "I don't understand – what could they possibly want with our son?"

Tiy laughed gently, her voice soft music against the roar of flames. "You and I of all people know what he is."

"He is our _son_," he answered firmly.

"He wields the power of the gods – you have seen it yourself." Tiy's eyes took on a darker hue, showing her sadness.

_Power of the gods?_

Yami frowned. What did that mean? Was that why he could wield shadow magic?

"Tiy?" began the man uncertainly. "Do you think that…" he waved his hand towards her swollen stomach. He didn't need to finish his question, for his wife had been asking herself the same thing for a long time now.

"I do not know, although Hebony did say something about 'the birth of another.'"

Yami frowned. He didn't understand – why would the Shadow Realm show him this? It made no sense to him.

"Mother…?"

From a tent that Yami hadn't noticed earlier, since the colour seemed to blend with that of the night sky emerged a young boy, although Yami couldn't guess the age of the young face that looked like it had already seen too much in the dark light. Most of his face was shadowed, but the light from the fire lit up his dark brown eyes and highlighted the thick shock of white hair.

_Could this be…?_

"What is it, Akefia?" asked Tiy.

_Akefia?_

Did he know that name? It _felt_ familiar…

"Did you have another of your dreams?"

_Dreams?_ Perhaps they meant visions…

"I think so," he answered almost wearily.

Ramose gestured for him to come over to him and placed him in his lap. "Tell us of it," he said.

"I heard you talking before," he began.

Tiy cast a worried glance over to her equally anxious looking husband. Akefia knew he was different, that he was special, but they had never told him that this was their reason for always keeping on the move…They wouldn't burden him with anymore, but one day they would have to tell him the truth…

"Father is right," he continued. "I don't think we should be travelling, it's too dangerous."

"Then what shall we do?" whispered his mother patiently awaiting his answer. Whatever he suggested they would probably do. Akefia was always right.

"There is a village, not far – maybe only two or three days away from here."

"I see," Ramose looked over to Tiy. "We should stay there until the baby arrives."

Akefia was silent for a moment, as though debating whether or not to say anything else. "There – there is something else," he broached slowly.

Tiy stiffened, worried about what else he may have seen.

A small smile appeared on Akefia's lips. "I saw my brother."

"Brother…?" she mouthed.

Ramose's face broke into an eager grin. "So we are to have another son."

"Did he tell you his name?"

Akefia shook his head. "No, but he asked me to give him one."

"So what will you call your brother?"

The young boy looked thoughtful, his face held in an expression of concentration.

"Khu," he announced happily. "I want to call him 'Khu.'"

His parents nodded agreeably. It was a good name. Even Yami smiled.

_Khu. _

It meant 'protected.'


	32. Chapter 32

I'd Die For You

* * *

Arthur Hawkins motioned to Solomon Moto to sit as the two of them entered the Drawing Room. Like everything else in the house the room was ordered perfectly – clearly labelled files on neatly arranged bookshelves – the room was effortlessly organised and on the dark wooden table in the centre lay Arthur's precious laptop. 

The laptop itself was quite an old model and worth little as a piece of technology. It was its contents that were so valuable – inside that one small machine was a lifetime of research, notes and theories all categorised, numbered and dated.

Solomon watched silently as Arthur began opening folders and multi-coloured windows began popping up all over the screen. He himself was not an advocate of technology, although he supposed he could see the benefits. _Sometimes_.

"Ah, be patient, Solomon," scolded Arthur as his old friend began to fidget in his anticipation.

Another window opened on the screen, this time prompting Arthur for a password.

"Here we are," he announced finally after tapping in the code.

Solomon leaned in closer and squinted at the screen. Whatever was on it was blurred and somewhat faded.

"What is this, Arthur?" he asked in confusion.

The Professor took one look at his puzzled face and looked at the screen. And then laughed. "Oh, I am sorry dear friend. I'm afraid that I magnified the image in an attempt to decipher the – oh, let me just reduce the size and resolution…"

A few moments later and Solomon could clearly see what Arthur had been so excited about.

"Where did you get this?" he gasped as his brain began to digest the pictures on the screen in front of him.

"This was found during an excavation a short while ago," Arthur revealed. "At first I didn't think that it would be too relevant – I thought it was probably just food records or something, but look at this." Professor Hawkins scrolled down the page to reveal the front of the artefact.

"Why that's that crazy Seal!" Solomon exclaimed in surprise. On the screen was the strange geometric star that had caused so much pandemonium for them all only a short while ago.

"Not quite," Arthur began. "You see, I think that this is actually the Seal of Atlantian Royalty – look at this bit," he placed the cursor over the outer ring of the circle. "The symbols here are different to the ones on that card."

"So what does this mean?" Solomon asked, still not fully comprehending the magnitude of this discovery.

Arthur didn't seem to mind his friend's density one bit. "I think that this might be the diary of one of the Royals," he said excitedly. "And that's not all – you see here," Arthur scrolled down to nearly the end of the file. "It's incomplete – that means that whoever this belonged to must have lived at a time near the end of the Atlantian Empire!"

Solomon frowned. It was all well and good discovering the diary, but how could they be certain that that was indeed what the text was?

"Have you translated this yet?"

Arthur's face fell. "That is my problem. Solomon, these hieroglyphics are like none I've ever seen – I can't even begin to decipher this text and I am not sure that I know anyone who could. The only people I could think of that would be able to make anything of it would have to have been alive then and other than that Dartz fellow I don't think we know any other ancient Atlantians..."

* * *

Dark eyes scanned the rows of black lines, eagerly devouring the words in front of him. 

"_My Lord has no idea that I have decided to write these papers. Indeed, if he did he would most likely think it a very silly thing for me to do. _

"_Writing is not becoming of a woman," he would say._

_And I should like to say that, "Cooking is, and yet I am not eligible for that profession either."_

_We would laugh – my King knows that I am only teasing. Although I should not mind spending time in the kitchens I suppose that I would grow bored eventually. I suppose that it was boredom that first led me to you in the first place. You are my closest friend, and yet the one that no one shall ever see, hear or know. You are mine forever, even when my soul shall transcend my body and join with the gods in my Afterlife._

_Women are not like men. We cannot talk or share our feelings as openly whether in court or out of it. There is always the worry of betrayal and I should not like to be crossed which is why I shall write my feelings in you instead._

_Women are not known for writing – especially women like I. Women like I are encouraged to dance and sing, to bath and relax. Writing is too strenuous both on the mind and the body for us to partake in. Our skin should be kept soft and our voices quiet unless we are told otherwise. It is all so old fashioned, although my King allows me to do as I please when there are no others to scold or laugh at him – to taught him and say that as Pharaoh he should control his wife. No, it is not so bad, and as a woman I am afforded certain rights, and yet I sill do not have all that I should. my keeping these records such a secret is a testimony to that._

_And how is it that I am able to write so eloquently and with such a good hand? Simple, I watch the Scribes as they teach their students and then practise in private although procuring the tools is more difficult. Often I have resorted to tearing my own linen and using my kohl!_

_I hope that no-one notices how many of my garments are ripped and how much kohl I seem to use when my eyes are never painted more that fives lines thick. Perhaps my Lord will discover this secret when we are wed, but I think not. He will be too busy with his work to pay attention to what I should chose to do, not that he would chose to work rather than spend time with me. It is his duty and he must honour that duty with his all if he is to be rewarded._

_I know that he would not take any offence in me writing. I know my King loves me and I cannot wait to be wed to him. We have been betrothed for as long as I do remember and it gives me butterflies just thinking about the day when we shall be united…_

_No doubt he will have his High Priest perform the ceremony. I believe that he has known this man longer than he knows I for the two were inseparable when I first met them and are barely apart now. I do hope that this changes after the ceremony – I dread to think how our relationship would work if the High Priest insists on being by the Pharaoh's side. Oh, I did not mean for it to sound like that! I blush now as I write these words – I only meant that we should be allowed some time alone if we are to be joined not that we shall – I mean I hope that we shall but –_

_I will cease with these ramblings - if Lydia should catch me writing such things or see into my wicked mind she would undoubtedly scold me! I do love my Lydia as I would a mother but even so I cannot share such thoughts – especially about a man who is not yet my husband._

_Lydia says that she will never marry. She believes that it is her duty to serve me and that no man shall ever be worthy of her service. She has said she will remain mine and mine alone even after I am wed. I dare not ask if she will serve under those born from my flesh and bones – she will tell me not to be so ambitious and that Fate will do me ill if I think in the way. I always laugh when Lydia talks of the men and magic. I don't believe that she likes them very much – not even the handsome guard who I sometimes catch staring at her. I dare not tell her though for she shall surely want to see him punished! She is not a conventional woman – instead of being one of my ladies she prefers to wait on me. She once told me that being so idle would drive her insane. I would have believed her if she were not already so fanatical. I once caught her beating one of the servants for accidentally touching one of my sandals and then insisting on its being burned and the ashes buried._

_Ah! Someone approaches – it must be Lydia for she always calls at this time demanding that I bathe. Sometimes I wish I were one of the men so that I could run and swim and hunt and ride without fear of the smell or sweat or dirt. It bores me to think how much of my time I must spend bathing – she insists that I sit and stew at least three times a day!_

_Alas, I must take my leave of you for now. I hope that I shall be able to find some secret time to give to you tomorrow."_

_The woman was young, I will grant her that – but she is foolish as well. Then again –_

The man tapped his chin, wondering if it was worth continuing. He might as well; it wasn't like he had much else to do and if he was lucky she might just have known what he wanted…

_I will have the key shortly,_ he smirked darkly to himself._ All I need after that is to find the correct lock…

* * *

_

**Author's Note** – I know most of you wanted to find out about Ryou and his blood thing, but I really needed to place this chapter here to get other parts of the story moving. Sorry! But to everyone who was disappointed, fear not for the next chapter WILL return to Ryou and his, erm…problem…Truth is, I was gonna include a teaser of the next chapter here, but I didn't want to spoil it. But it's good – I promise!


	33. Chapter 33

I'd Die For You

Hello, and welcome to the latest instalment of Spirit Summoner's epic tale of adventure, mystery and romance – that's right, it's time for Chapter 33 of 'I'd Die For You!' I know a lot of you have been waiting for this chapter so I'll make this as quick as I can.

Before you start reading I just wanted to say thank you all for reading and reviewing this story – it means a lot to me and really helps me with this ficcy.

**Bakuragal – **Thanks a lot for your reviews – I know what its like to get sidetracked from all your work. Right now I should be revising for all my exams…

And of course, I hope you all like this next chapter!

* * *

Marik had been running for what felt like hours. He was still unused to Domino City, but despite the previous late night mishap where he had ended up being accosted by the mysterious Shadi in a park, still he ran on. He hadn't exactly planned on running for so long, or so far from the Hospital. He had only wanted to get out there for a while and clear his head, but somehow he had ended up, well…

Delicate eyebrows met in soft frown as bitter laughter echoed in the cold night air when he saw where he was.

"So I am to return here," he whispered.

He hadn't even realised he had come so far…

Gently, he traced his fingers over the large plastic letters that ran across the top of the door.

_G – A – M – E_

Marik felt an odd shiver travel down his spine as his fingers lingered over the final letter. Curiously, he pressed his hand against the door, and was surprised to find it easily pushed open.

_That's odd…Yugi would have locked this before he left for the hospital._

Marik could only guess that in all the rush and drama Yugi had forgotten. Still, it was not like the Pharaoh's vessel to be so absent minded…

Nudging the door open further with his elbow, Marik felt something strange seep into his shoes. It felt like lukewarm water. He glanced down and sure enough, even in the dull light of the street lamp outside he could make out the fractured shimmer of light on liquid.

But there was something else – it wasn't a silver glimmer, but looked almost tinted…

_Probably a trick of the light, or maybe my mind is playing tricks on me again._

It was one of those moments where he would have expected the evil Marik to take hold and whisper maliciously, 'you have no idea…'

But that just couldn't happen. For one thing, the Pharaoh and he had managed to trap the vengeful spirit beyond the Shadow Realm. There was just no possible way for it to return to haunt him. If only there was an easier way to get over what had happened, it was his 'Dark Side' that had murdered his father after all.

"I can't think about that now," he old himself, finding comfort in the sound of his voice in the eerie quiet of the house – it was a place that was never silent for long.

_Perhaps Yugi has left a tap on_, Marik reasoned with himself as he stepped into the dark room. Yes, that was a much more plausible explanation.

_Thank Ra for common sense._

Flicking on the light switch as he entered, Marik stifled a short gasp.

_Okay, now this is getting really weird._

He hadn't noticed earlier – or at least didn't want to notice, but the water had been dyed a strange pink colour and there was much too much of it for it to have come from a single dripping tap. He heard the water spill out of the open front door and crash onto the pavement outside, but he didn't care about that. Right now, he needed to know what was going on.

Wading through the ankle high water, Marik carefully made his way into the living room, making certain to flip on the light.

He glanced around. At first, everything seemed normal, and then he noticed one of his shirts floating in the peculiar water and fished it out. It was almost exactly as he had left it, except for a tiny red spot on the torn seam.

Red and ripped…but how could that be…unless – maybe there was someone else in the house!

He dropped it and lifted his head, his eyes falling on the wall opposite.

There, printed on the glossy surface were dark red handprints.

"Ryou!" he cried aloud as realisation struck him. He instantly knew it was him – it was as though he could _feel_ him – but just barely.

A wave of nausea passed over him.

The water – red water – _blood_ water – flooding the house…

_The bathroom!_

Kicking his way through the rising water, Marik made his way to the staircase where the liquid was falling over the steps as though they were mini waterfalls. They would have looked beautiful in the half lit hallway with the dim lights bouncing on their metallic surfaces like stars in the sky – a blood red sky – if only he hadn't had such a sick feeling gnawing away at him.

_Ryou – please be alright…_

When Marik reached the top of the stairs, he launched himself at the closed bathroom door, and recoiled off it again – it had been held fast by the water behind it.

_I have to get in, I have to get in!_

Marik gritted his teeth and threw his whole body into the door, over and over, hoping that the damn thing would finally burst. At last the young Egyptian was able to force it open with all his might. As it did, torrents of water gushed past him, almost knocking him over as it went tumbling down the stairs and crashed to the bottom.

He winced as he felt something sharp graze his arms, breaking through the skin to expose red flesh, but he ignored it and searched frantically for Ryou while the gushing water lapped up his blood and carried away with whatever had struck him.

"Ryou!" he called out. "Ryou!" but he could barely hear himself over the intense roar of water from the bathtub.

_The bathtub!_

In a matter of seconds, Marik had made his way to the bathtub where he was greeted by the sight of Ryou Bakura below the surface of the water. Both taps had been turned as far as they could possibly go, but when Marik tried to pry them shut again, he found that he couldn't move them at all. They were stuck solid and shaking with the power of water travelling through the old pipes, causing the floor underneath to vibrate with a dangerous rumbling sound.

But he barely noticed – all he could see was Ryou…

His eyes were closed, and his face was pale, but what stood out were his purple lips as his hair danced in front of his features like cobwebs covering a skeleton.

_Oh Ra!_

Marik leant over the edge of the tub and tried to hoist Ryou out, but his limbs kept slipping from his grasp. Carefully, he also entered the bath, his whole body flashing hot and cold with the alternating temperatures from the raging taps as he wrapped his left arm around Ryou's waist while he used his right to position Ryou's arms around his neck. Carefully, he cradled Ryou's head in the crook of his neck making sure that he stayed above the surface of the water and stood up in the bathtub, careful not to slip. A water soaked Ryou was a lot heavy than a dry Ryou, even with all the water dripping off him back into the bathtub.

Yet more water spilled over the edge of the bathtub as Marik struggled to lift Ryou out of it. Marik managed to slip the arm that had been gripped around his waist under his knees and picked up Ryou before gently lowering down outside of the tub.

Unfortunately, at this point, he slipped forwards and tumbled out, landing on his back beside the other hikari.

For a moment, all he could do was lie and stare at the other boy. Marik had never noticed how much Ryou looked like Bakura – or maybe it was how much Bakura looked like Ryou. All Marik knew was that he was suddenly transfixed by the boy who lay beside him.

Although his face was pale, the rest of his skin was an angry shade of red, covered in blisters from the extreme changes in temperature that his body had been forced to endure. His blue and white t-shirt was now striped pink and purple, with dark patches of red trailing down the front. His clothing was completely soaked through, reddy-pink water running out of them onto the pale floor. And his arms – the skin was rubbed raw, exposing tender flesh underneath and flaking away painfully from his body. Marik couldn't help but wince.

"Ryou…" he whispered as he rolled over onto his stomach. He couldn't guess how long Ryou had been lying unconscious in that water, he was only glad that he had returned and been able to rescue him. If not – he dreaded to think what might have happened.

With a pained moan, Marik crawled over to Ryou until his body was half on top of the smaller boy's. Gently, he brushed aside a stray lock of tangled hair and lay a hand against his soft skin, before quickly withdrawing it. Ryou felt like fire, but his whole body was shaking as beads of cold sweat began to form on his forehead.

Marik pressed his right ear to Ryou's mouth and nose to see if he could feel his breath. He couldn't – Ryou had stopped breathing.

"Ryou!" exclaimed Marik in a blind panic. "Ryou – you can't do this to me!" he screamed in complete horror.

* * *

In some forgotten and unused part of his mind, Ryou could hear someone calling out to him.

"_Ryou!"_

Ryou's mind ached. He recognised that voice, but at that moment, he couldn't think who it belonged to.

"_Please, Ryou!"_

But Ryou didn't have the strength to even listen anymore. It felt as though all his energy was being drained by some invisible force and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Then again, he doubted he would have tried even if he could.

There was nothing for him anymore – he was only hurting people, it would be better for everyone if he just died.

* * *

With trembling hands, Marik lifted himself until he was directly above Ryou and grabbed him by the shoulders. He shook him violently, willing to wake and breath, but nothing happened.

"Please, Ryou," he begged.

Lowering the limp body once more, Marik moved until he was knelt beside the other hikari.

"You can't die," he said tearfully. "You just can't!"

_Bakura would never forgive me_, he thought as he laced his fingers together and then placed them over Ryou's chest.

_I would never forgive myself._

In time with his own pounding heartbeat, Marik began to pump Ryou's lifeless heart, but to no avail.

"Oh Ra, _please_!"

He tried another cycle, but nothing was happening – why was nothing happening?

_Don't leave me._

Refusing to give in, Marik tried again, but it seemed that no matter how hard he tried, Ryou just wouldn't wake up, or even start breathing again.

But then again it didn't matter how many times he tried if Ryou was already dead.

"What have I done…?" he wailed.

What had he done indeed.


	34. Chapter 34

**I'd Die For You**

**A/N **Just a thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing

* * *

"_You can't die!"_

A distorted voice echoed softly in Bakura's rapidly fading mind.

Then again, after all the nothingness before it, the words sounded like thunder striking the Earth.

"_You just can't!"_

The voice was familiar and screamed with an emotion that he thought he must have once felt.

It was desperate, angry and most of all – scared.

So strong, so painful, so _real_.

It was so strange. For longer than he knew how to gauge, he had felt an indescribable nothingness, but now…it was as though he was someone else.

He felt weak, but determined and although breathless, he knew he was somehow alive. He couldn't – no he _wouldn't_ give up.

_There's something – someone out there – someone who needs me, who I need to save. Someone who I need…_

Bakura felt himself being shifted, wherever he was. It was dark, but then it was dark even before he had closed his eyes and by now they had been shut for so long he wondered if he might be blind if he opened them.

He chanced it, and blinked.

Chocolate eyes opened in surprise to find intense violet gazing down at him with an expression that bespoke despair.

Bakura knew those eyes, the deep lavender orbs that shone like amethyst gems when he laughed…

_I know you_, he wanted to say, but when he tried to move his mouth to speak, he found that he couldn't.

He wanted to scream, but knew that he wouldn't be able to; in fact, he found that he couldn't control his body at all. Well, except for his eyes.

Bakura was suddenly very aware of an icy coldness that seemed to be gripping his entire body, and yet his nerves screamed as though they had been set alight.

Looking around, he managed to determine that he was lying down somewhere, and this violet eyed man was knelt beside him. The walls were covered in what appeared to be white tiles smeared with something red.

_Could it be blood?_

Strangely, although he couldn't control his body, he felt it shiver. Not because he wondered how it had gotten there, but because he wanted to know how it would taste on his tongue…

* * *

The taste of blood stung Ryou's tongue like flames on the skin. It was poison – human poison. It was a most bitter irony that one of the most important aspects of human life was the very thing to kill him.

It was pitch black.

_Funny, I don't even remember closing my eyes. I must have fallen asleep._

The shouts in his ears seemed to have vanished, but it offered no relief. Oddly, it only brought more pain. The silence was excruciating and he found he was always questioning whether or not he had heard something. He tried to calm the rapid beating of his heart – it was so loud he couldn't even hear himself breathing.

Wait – he couldn't feel himself breathing –

Why wasn't he breathing?

_Why aren't I breathing?_

He couldn't panic – he couldn't panic!

_Don't panic…_

What was the last thing he remembered?

_Blood –_

Yes, blood.

_And glass._

Blood and glass and then water.

_Water?_

Everything was so cloudy in his mind, his memories stung his insides in a way that told him he didn't want to remember, and yet he had to.

_Why does it hurt so much when I can't feel anything?_

Blood, glass and water.

Maybe he had drowned.

Maybe he was dead.

_Am I dead?_

Could it be that what he had wanted for so long had finally been granted to him? Had his wishes come to be?

Then again, if that was the case, why did he feel so empty?

"_I know you."_

A distant voice sounded in head, and Ryou wanted to reach out and hold it, but he couldn't see anything, he didn't even know if he still had his body.

He felt cold. No, wait – he felt a surging heat and then – _nothing_.

Ryou felt that he would surely break down if this continued.

"Help me…" he begged.

* * *

"Help me…"

Marik gasped in shock as the hoarse whisper reached his ears.

_Did I imagine it?_

He must have.

Ryou's pulse had dwindled away to nothing, and his lungs refused to breathe while his heart refused to pump.

He had never felt such a failure, not even when his Dark Side had taken control over him and he had never felt so disgusted with himself – not even when he discovered that he had killed his own father.

Tears formed in his eyes as he stared mournfully at Ryou, another hikari, just like himself.

But he was pure – he really was a light, perhaps even more innocent than Yugi.

His hands, shaking after his exertion and now with his aching emotion, found themselves clutching at the front of Ryou's shirt. The damp material tore under his vicelike hold, exposing yet more stained skin.

"Why?" he screamed suddenly, his grip increasing on the fabric. "Why did you have to die?" Tears rolled down his face as he shook Ryou's empty vessel violently, as though there was still a soul within. "Why did you have to leave me?" his whole body shook with the intensity of his raw emotion. "Didn't you know? Ryou – Bakura, I love you."

Suddenly, he stopped and Marik loosened his hold, allowing Ryou's body to fall back onto the floor. "Oh gods," he cried in realisation. "Oh gods…"

Marik collapsed in a heap, crumpling over Ryou's stricken body, his hands still wrapped in the creases of Ryou's shirt. "I love you…"

Slowly, Marik lowered his face to Ryou's – Bakura's face until they were barely millimetres between them.

_I wish I could have saved you…_

Closing his eyes, he felt his mouth press itself firmly against soft, yet cold lips.

The Millennium Rod began to glow with a bright white light, casting red shadows over the pools of bloodied water that had remained on the bathroom floor. The light seemed to transform itself into a ball of energy which surged into Marik's body, travelling through his nerves.

Marik's whole body shone with an intense light, until he radiated both heat and the light like a beacon. As his warm fingers grazed Ryou's chest, gently brushing over his heart, sparks of energy seemed to jump from his hands and into Ryou's body.

The strange sensation caused him to gasp into Ryou's mouth, the light moving from his breath into Ryou's body, filling him and his lungs completely.

* * *

Bakura felt a brilliant heat building up his body as something wonderful began to fill him. His insides were singing as the warmth surged through him. But there was something else – something more.

He stared questioningly at the boy above him with his golden skin and gemlike eyes. Something felt wrong. He was giving him something that he needed, _wanted_ – but it was something he didn't deserve to have.

The feel of hot lips against his was shockingly familiar, and yet…

Why did it feel almost wrong?

_I know you…_

But who was he?

He racked his mind, pulling up memories like weeds, all passing so quickly that he barely had time to recognise them, until – (1)

"_No more!"_ another voice in his mind screamed. _"Don't make me do it again! Please! I don't want to do it anymore!"_

A face, which looked almost identical to how he remembered his own, flashed into his mind, tears cascading down his cheeks as though they would never stop.

As the memory took over, the light began to dim and the surging heat faded away to nothing…

"I'm sorry, Ryou."

* * *

The heat that had evaporated seemingly into thin air suddenly returned and Ryou found himself surrounded in an amazingly warm light. Tendrils wrapped themselves around his limbs, gently tugging at him as though they were returning his spirit to its body.

He seemed to be travelling along a dark corridor, the walls made up of pure shadows, but he was protected in his shell of light. As he drifted, he felt himself brush against something else.

"_I'm sorry, Ryou."_

"Bakura?" he cried, but even as he turned, he felt himself being pulled further and further away. He began to struggle against the light restraints, but couldn't pull free. "Bakura!" he reached back out into the darkness, but gasped when he felt them touch something warm and solid…

* * *

Marik pulled back abruptly when he felt Ryou's lips move against his, his eyes shining with tears and disbelief. Warm fingers that only moments previous were colder than ice brushed against the back of his neck as an arm wrapped itself around his shoulders.

"Bakura?" he whispered hopefully.

Ryou shook his head, not only in answer, but to clear it of the bright light that seemed almost to have blinded him as he blinked his eyes into focus.

"Marik," he began shakily, surprised that he could hear his voice again.

"Ryou." Despite his disappointment that it wasn't Bakura, Marik smiled and then relief took over and he enveloped Ryou in a strong embrace, managing to pull the two of them to the floor.

Through his wet tears, Marik began to laugh hysterically. "I thought I'd lost you," he admitted as he hugged Ryou against his body, revealing in its newfound warmth.

_Thank Ra, that was a miracle…_

"Marik, what are you doing here?" Ryou asked suddenly.

Marik frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ryou blinked. "Well, aren't you supposed to be back in Egypt?"

* * *

(1) This is a reference to a oneshot that I wrote a while back called 'Anybody But You' which sorta (implicitly) explores the relationship between Bakura and Marik, and Bakura and Ryou. It takes place before this story, and despite the pairings, I am still planning on including Marik x Ryou. It's all on its way! 


	35. Chapter 35

**I'd Die For You**

**A/N** This probably isn't the chapter you were all expecting, but that doesn't make it any less interesting. Think of it as an 'I'd Die For You' history-come-mythology lesson in one. Also, many, many apologies for the late update...I confess that the main reason behind it was because I'm lazy as anything, well, lazy and just didn't get round to it when I should have, but ah! What can you do about it, eh?

**What?**

Boycott this fic? No, wait!

How about to make it up to you all as soon as I get another handful of reviews I'll update?

Anyway, here's what I promise in the next couple of chapters:

36: Pensive Yami, light humour

37: Drama and Angst with Marik and Ryou

38: Drama and Action with Yami and Bakura

And then, exciting things start happening to everyone!

(Just as an aside, I usually put in one of those breaks here, but for some reason won't let me, so I'm putting this little note here instead).

_Lydia worries far too much._

_I am only just known to be with child and yet she insists on me resting and keeping indoors during the hours of the Sun to spare me from the heat and then when night falls she fears that I should catch a chill. I know that she means well, but I feel stifled. She will not even permit me to visit the King in his chambers in case it aggravates my condition!_

_I know that Lydia does not exactly approve of our relationship. She thinks that I allow my Lord too much freedom and that I do not act as I should. _

"_Women should not visit the men. It is their duty to come to you," she tells me._

"_A wife should be allowed to see her husband, should she not?" I answer and go anyway._

_I love my King and so do not see why I should not see him when I should desire. After all, any peasant couple are given the liberty to do so, so why shouldn't it be the same for Royals?_

_I know that I should treat her better, but sometimes Lydia is too hard to please. Perhaps if she had a husband she would understand, but that is impossible. I have never even seen her speak to a man in any situation unless it is absolutely necessary, and even then I know she does not do so willingly._

_Sometimes I think that she would be better suited to being a Priestess since they are not known for their deviance and forever keep their virtue. Perhaps I shall suggest it to her, especially since she cannot punish me as I carry the future ruler of Egypt._

_I would hazard that she wishes the babe to be born a female so that she can teach her a woman's ways and hope that she listens whereas I did not. I laugh when I think of all the trouble I have caused my dear, dear Lydia._

_But then, I don't think there has ever been a time when I have been obedient – not when I was a child, and not now that I am wed to my Lord. I hope that things will not change between us when the time comes. Despite all I say, I need Lydia – she is like a mother to me – a sister and a friend – and I can only pray that I will be as good a mother when my own child is born. _

_My Pharaoh is so happy with the news. I do not believe that he expected a child so early. I have never felt so blessed – not even as the High Priest joined us or even the first night when…Well, I suppose that my condition should make it obvious as to what transpired that evening. _

_It was all so perfect – the moon shone bright and round and I slept until the sun was low in the sky with my Pharaoh's arms wrapped about me as though he would never let go. Sometimes I wish he hadn't._

"_What should you want?" he asks me today after both my Ladies and the Priests confirm that I truly am with child and leave to begin preparations for its arrival._

_I suppose that I would want a daughter to play with – to share my secrets and yet I do not wish for one. I should wish for a son who will be free to ride and hunt and write as he should wish._

_Then again, I should wish for Ra so that everyone could see that my husband is a god himself. _

_I remember hearing one of the Scribes retelling a story that he had heard from a foreign priest from far beyond the sands. He said that this man was pale of face and had hair the colour of a cloudless sky that fell like a river between the blades of his shoulders, so long that it trailed in the sand. But what was most strange about him were his eyes for one was the beautiful green of the waters of an oasis and the other a startling amber-gold… _

_I had never heard such a description of a man before, and so I wonder whether it is true, but I know that my Lord's priests should not lie._

_The story was so strange and dark that I found myself almost wanting to reveal myself and shout "Stop!" but I knew that this was impossible. If I should have been discovered I would most likely have been punished although the embarrassment of my King would have sufficed to make me regret my actions._

_Even so, I must share this tale. It has haunted my nights on many occasions and I fear that if I do not I will soon believe it as if it were my own Prophecy. The strange eyed priest foretold that;_

"_One day, when the sun fails to raise and the moon fails to fall the Shadows shall devour the World until all that is left is darkness. The people shall die and yet their spirits cannot move on for Ra and Osiris are trapped between the cycles and only Anubis and his Jackals can grace the Earth with an army of souls longing for a body._

_They shall steal the bodies of those who are lost in the void between life and the other world – a living hell where they are unable to do more than remember and yet they shall forget until all becomes lost to the darkness._

_The other gods shall rage against Anubis, and yet they will be unable to act as they too are trapped in their world and so Anubis will be left to run amok through the cities, raising monsters from the ashes that grow in emerald rain that will not only fall from the Heavens, but towards it as well._

_All will appear lost. It will become a never ending cycle of death and tragedy until it seems as there will be no hope for the future._

_Than one day, from out of the darkness there shall emerge a god born of the forgotten light itself. 'The Light of the Oricalchos' he called it, sealed away in the earth itself. This god will have the power the cast away the Shadows and move the sun and moon. Anubis will be returned to his crypt where he shall be trapped in a Pyramid of Light so that he should not be able to move between Realms accept when his Master should permit it. This god will have the power to put to rest the lost souls and the World shall be begun anew._

_But of course, with the light there must come the shadows, and none are darker than the beast born from the very womb of the night. A great serpent whose very existence is to devour the world and destroy the light, for he too shares the power of the Oricalchos – some even say that he created it so that he would have the power to escape his world and descend onto ours._

_And the two are so destined to meet and fight in an eternal battle._

_But the god shall in turn sacrifice his own immortality to imprison the demon beast and crumble and fade until the only remainder of him will be in half lost myths and his legend will disappear along with the sands of time._

_And yet, when the sands of Egypt move, the legend will be revived and the god revealed as the darkness that fogs the Earth returns once more to consume the World…"_

_I do not know if this story is true, or if it is a prophecy. All I know is that when I heard it I felt shivers and chills. I felt cold and scared and yet somehow, I knew that I should not. I do not understand why and I resolve to forget this tale as soon as my mind permits it._

_I recall once being told a similar tale by a travelling story teller who was so beautiful that I had first thought him a woman. His hair was the darkest black I had ever seen and his eyes the colour of violet gems, so strange and yet so full of passion and sadness. This stranger spoke of a land that was once so perfect that Paradise was found on Earth._

_But as its god watched, he grew sad, knowing that he had created something that had seemed so perfect, but could not possibly last. Into this idyllic world fell his tears, as beautiful as emeralds and as pure as the Nile._

_When his tears touched the hearts of the people, all the darkness inside them was revealed and they transformed into hideous monsters full of lust and greed. These savage beasts ploughed through the lands, stripping the whole of Paradise bare._

_But this was not enough to satisfy them. They wanted more and sought a way into another world in order to sate themselves._

_The god could not stand by and watch this atrocity so he came to Earth, but the journey had weakened him. He had to hide in a new form and in order to gain strength was forced to take back the tears that he had shed and had to consume the very people that he loved so much._

_Finally, he grew powerful enough to stop the monsters, but in this other world, he too was seen as a monster. It took the lives of three of their strongest to finally defeat the god and even now he lies at the foot of the world, trapped on Earth due to the mistakes of humans, waiting and hoping for one of his beloved to remember him and revive him so that he can return to his throne at the top of the world._

_The story is so sad that I cannot help but shed a tear for the poor god whose people failed to love him. I know that this is not true of our gods – of our Ra and Sekhmet and Nut and Osiris…Why, I cannot even name they all in one sitting there are so many – they all work together so that we may enjoy our time on the soil and finally rise above the clouds to them…_

_Maybe in this instance Lydia is right – perhaps women should not think so much. It only strains the mind as well as the body and I cannot afford to do anything that should affect my unborn babe. I will stop being so foolhardy with my imagination, but I shall not cease my writings. Sometimes now, when I write, I imagine that I am writing to my baby, my child. I imagine how he will respond, whether he laughs or even smiles when he sees my words. Perhaps he will grow to know and love me more than I can ever know and love myself._

_Perhaps I will one day hand over my writings and ask him to bury them with me after reading them so that my legacy will live on through my child. Perhaps I should live forever like a god as well._

"_I should want to make you a god, but since I cannot I hope to offer you a son."_

_My King kisses me. I love his kisses – they are always so strong and overpowering that I cannot help but give myself over to him…I love my Pharaoh with all my heart and soul, I should do anything for him – anything he asks. _

_If need be, I would even die for him._


	36. Chapter 36

**I'd Die For You**

Yami was seriously beginning to doubt whether he had once ruled over all of Egypt, and not for the first time, either. For one thing, he was fast discovering how much he hated it – or at least, this 'Egypt' that the shadows had thrown him into. Surely for him to have been such a great and wonderful leader he would have had to have loved his empire beyond compare. He should have been willing to sacrifice himself to protect it and his people.

Right now, he wasn't even sure if he'd be willing to sacrifice Pegasus for it.

Compared to Domino it was much too hot and there was way too much sand for his liking, not to mention the fact that it managed to get everywhere…

And he meant _everywhere_.

Sometimes, he had even considered removing _those_ underpants.

_This is unbelievable._

Yami had found himself following the family that he had been watching for fear of being left behind. It was odd that he was relying on a set of complete strangers to make him feel safe. He didn't know why, but there was something about the family – something familiar and warm that seemed to promise him that he would be alright if he remained with them. For some reason, he believed that this was a family that would do anything for each other, and surely after everything he had seen it must be true.

The problem with pursuing them was that he was on foot whereas they had a cart, which although slow, moved a lot faster than the tired former Pharaoh.

_Excellent_.

So not only was he trapped in the Shadow Realm, completely cut off from his hikari, he was also being made to fend for himself without his Millennium Puzzle. And to top it all off, he had lost Bakura who he was supposed to be watching.

_Good thing I was a Pharaoh and not a baby sitter…_

He shook his head as an image of him seated on the throne cradling a chibi Bakura wearing nothing but an oversized diaper filled his mind.

Even Yami had to admit that a chibi Bakura was quite cute, especially with his huge chocolate eyes and wild hair.

_Bakura…and cute?_

Yami chuckled to himself, wondering how the Tomb Robber would react if he ever told him.

Suddenly, the little baby Bakura seemed to grow into the terrible teenaged thief that he both knew and loved, before turning red and then chasing him about the throne room. Too bad Yami was picturing waving his rattle about with a pacifier still in his mouth.

Wait – did he just say that he loved him?

No, there was just no way – he couldn't have said that.

Surely this had to be the doing of the Shadow Realm? There was no way that under normal circumstances he would allow himself to imagine either Bakura or himself in such outlandish situations, or with such strange feelings towards the other.

And there was definitely no way he would have ever imagined either Bakura or himself with children.

"Gods, imagine us with kids," laughed Yami.

For some reason, the next picture that popped into his head was of Bakura in a flowery dress braiding a chibi Ryou's hair while Yami was trying to teach a chibi Yugi to stand. The fact that Bakura seemed to be wearing a woman's garments didn't bother him that much – what did worry him however, was that fact that under his dress, Bakura had either grown very fat due to domestic life –

Or he was pregnant.

He shuddered at the thought. It was too weird for words. Not to mention impossible. And somewhat sickening. It would be like Kaiba giving Mokuba up for adoption, only for Tea to kidnap him and then Joey finding out that he was actually his brother after falling in love with Kaiba, the two of them getting married and then becoming his own step brother.

_Er…what?_

Yami felt somewhat confused, as well as a little ill after his random train of thought veered off course from the plausible to the 'never-ever-even-in-your-wildest-dreams.' He really had to find a way to maintain his sanity or else he was going to end up crazier than Marik's yami.

_It could be worse,_ he thought to himself. _It could have been I who was pregnant_.

Yami nearly fell over in the sand. Ra damn, the heat and exhaustion must really have been getting to him. There was no way in the Afterlife he would ever be having such thoughts otherwise.

Besides, he really ought to have been concentrating on where the Hell he was going before he was separated from someone else.

He looked up only to find that the family had disappeared and he was walking in a straight line through nothing but endless desert.

Yami idly wondered if he had done something that had severely pissed off Ra when he had ruled Egypt and if this was his punishment for it.

On second thought, he couldn't believe that even Ra could be this vengeful.

Then again, this whole thing was crazy. Was he not actually trapped in the Shadow Realm he doubted he would ever have believed he would ever be caught in such a situation. Not even the visions from the Millennium Necklace could have prepared him for this.

It wasn't just the mental fatigue – _that_ he had been prepared for, especially after his previous visits to the Shadow Realm – it was the fact that he actually felt physical exhaustion.

"_Bakura!"_

"Ryou?"

Yami faltered in his steps, almost certain that he had heard the voice of the Tomb Keeper's hikari.

_But how can that be?_

No, it was impossible – he had to have been hearing things. It must have been – what did Yugi call it?

Ah, wishful thinking.

_Yugi_…

It was funny – the reason he had first decided to risk his sanity in the Shadow Realm was to protect his lighter half, and yet he had barely even spared a thought for the human child. Instead, he had been confronted with the very memories that Yugi had promised to help him find, only he wasn't there.

Instead, Yami found himself sharing his darkest secrets with the spirit that he still considered more an enemy than a friend.

Only now…

Bakura wasn't all bad, despite all that he had done, Yami was sure of it.

Since their arrival in the Shadow Realm, Yami had seen so many other sides of Bakura – fear, anxiety, maybe even a touch of genuine compassion towards him.

Perhaps it was the effect of the Shadow Realm, or maybe he was simply imagining it, but there was something about Bakura – Bakura was changing.

_Something in his past must be revealing itself to him._

Yami didn't know why the Tomb Robber seemed so closed off, or why he hated the thought of regaining his memories so much.

Yami wondered if he would ever find out.

"_Bakura!"_

Okay, this time Yami knew he hadn't imagined that.

A strange feeling seemed to grow inside of him. He wondered why it was that Bakura's hikari could be heard and why his own could not. He and Yugi shared a bond that no other of the yami-hikari pairs did, and yet he had not heard from him once.

Perhaps he had been correct in assuming that Yugi really didn't need him as much as he had first thought. Although it made him feel somewhat dejected, Yami supposed it would be for the best – at least then he would be free to help those who really did need his help.

_Like Bakura._

Bakura – if he could hear Ryou calling out to him, it had to mean that he was close by.

_Hang on Bakura._

He would help him – he had to help him, and no matter what it took and how many demons he would be forced to fight, Yami swore that he would save him.

"_Pharaoh, if you keep this up, I may start to believe that you actually care about me."_

In hindsight, Yami supposed that he should have answered, rather than leave such an incriminating statement hanging in the air between them.

_But what could I have said?_

"You could have told him that you cared," he berated himself.

He snorted.

_As if the Tomb Robber would believe me._

"…_I happen to like you…"_

Yami found himself smiling at the memory of the Tomb Robber and his unintentional slip up. Then again, the confession – however much he had tried to deny it – had stirred up something inside of Yami. It wasn't like any of the overacted and clichéd romances that Tea watched on television or the ludicrous claims that Joey and Tristan's heroes made during their terrible and at times – rather strange movies.

It was none of those things and yet it was so much more.

It was the truth – Yami could see that, and not only that, but it had been a truth told pure and simply. It was unembellished and informal, but Yami could see that he meant it.

And to him, that made it so much more special.

It made him more special.

The Tomb Robber – no, _Bakura_ – Bakura wasn't one who willingly displayed his emotions. Psychologically, he was probably the complete opposite of Yugi – stubborn, strong-willed and difficult. Someone who – not unlike Kaiba – hid himself under masks to shield himself.

Only, Yami had never seen the masks slip until now, and he was seriously concerned about what would happen if the shield ever broke.

He just hoped that he'd be there in time to shield him instead.


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: I know it has been a very long time, but I am determined to finish what I started. That said, I've drafted the next couple of chapters and the end still seems a long way off… I never meant to leave this story without updating for so long, but I'm currently going through a real productive period in my fics. Sadly, this is at the expense of school but hey, I'm sure everything will work out fine.

Anyway, thank you to those of you who have read this and stuck with it. I know it's long and confusing but I'm working on getting you those answers ^^

**I'd Die For You**

By Spirit Summoner

_My King now grows as worried as dear Lydia._

_Oh, I forget that I have not had the time to share with you my days. They have kept me so busy here that I could not spare the time between them and sleep. As the child within me grows so does my tiredness, but I cannot rest, not least in front of Lydia and my Pharaoh. They might think me frail, but I should not have them think me weak. I am as strong as any woman who has to bear a child and I will be as strong as any man who has ever taken an arrow or sword._

_The Physicians were called for, but neither my Lord nor Lydia can tolerate their kind for long. Lydia thinks ill of them as they are men and my Lord distrusts their ways. He believes that they mean to kill him by means of poisoned potions that they have mixed from rare herbs…_

_Oh, my King is not wrong to be so hateful of them. Even as a girl I heard the rumours that it was a Physician who took the life of his father by means of a wine that he had made as a gift to him...Oh! That any of us should ever trust a Physician again! _

_I am unsure of who sent for them – I believe it may have been one of my maids, for I remember her exclaiming in shock when I almost fell from my seat as she decorated my hair, but I am uncertain…I do not remember much of the incident._

_I know that they confined me to bed believing that I have been much too active and that I must eat more in order to support the child…I know now why so many of the swollen bellied women complain and why Lydia is so happy to remain a woman on her own – the feeling of a child kicking the insides of ones womb is not pleasant. It is nothing even to the feeling of fire that burns the lungs and heart after much too rich a meal or too much wine…_

_

* * *

_

An icy cold clutched at Ryou's heart as Marik helped him into Yugi's bedroom. The pale boy was trembling so much Marik feared that he would slip through his fingers.

"Marik, what's going on?" he asked weakly, one hand clutching at his pounding head, the other desperately wrapped around Marik's shoulders.

For some reason that Marik couldn't understand Ryou couldn't remember anything that had happened recently – well, at least not since he and his family had reappeared in Domino.

Gently, Marik lowered Ryou onto Yugi's bed. There was no way he was letting him see the state of the living room where he had been insisting on sleeping ever since Marik's return.

Marik was worried. It was bad enough that Ryou had been possessed but now he was mentally unstable as well. There was no telling what could happen should his sinister assailant re-emerge and take control.

He didn't want it to happen, but knew that it was an eventuality that was sure to be inevitable. Even so, he pushed the thought to the back of his mind and concentrated instead on the boy in front of him.

The boy who looked so much like the one he loved, the boy whose heart was pure enough to sustain one so dark as the ancient tomb robber. The boy whose lips had set fire to his own.

Marik bit down on the tip of his thumb as he stared down at the wide chocolate eyes that looked at him with such fear and at the same time Marik couldn't help but notice the spark of trust that made frightened tears shine even in the dim light of the moon.

"Marik?" Ryou whispered.

"Shh…" Marik knelt down in front of Ryou and pulled his trembling hands into his own and rested them in Ryou's lap. "Ryou, I'm going to get you some towels and dry clothes," he explained gently. "Will you be alright here until I get back?" he asked. "I'll only be a couple of minutes."

Ryou looked at him for a long moment before nodding slowly.

"Okay – don't go anywhere, Ryou," Marik added before raiding Yugi's linen closet and then returning to the room where he proceeded to pull out several items of the shorter boys clothing. He was certain the Yugi wouldn't mind especially since he was probably the best match with Ryou size wise.

Marik placed everything at the end of the bed and then cast his eyes of Ryou who still looked as lost as ever.

"Umm…would you like me to start with your hair?" he questioned.

"Alright," Ryou answered robotically. In Marik's absence he hadn't failed to notice the fact that he was soaked and shivering so much that his body had become numb to almost everything.

Marik picked up a large white towel and wrapped it loosely around Ryou's shoulders before taking a slightly smaller one and then gently towelling the damp white locks.

"How does your head feel?" Marik asked, knowing full well that it was probably pounding and bursting with questions. "Does it still hurt?"

Ryou nodded as Marik took away the towel.

"My mother used to give me a massage that would make me feel a lot better," Marik smiled at the memory as his hands unconsciously played with the drying locks. Tan fingers buried themselves in white until they connected with cold skin.

Marik felt the muscles of Ryou's neck tense as his fingers grazed the flesh. Slowly he brushed his fingers over the skin and began to knead the tightened muscles which began to loosen almost immediately.

Ryou closed his tired eyes and let his head fall back, savouring the feel of the Egyptians hands on his exhausted body.

As Marik's hands worked Ryou's shirt slipped from one of his shoulders, revealing a perfect half moon of white skin. Marik couldn't help but be drawn to it. Without thinking, Marik lowered his mouth onto the shoulder and pressed a gentle kiss on the curve of the bone.

Ryou own mouth opening in a silent gasp, but didn't pull away, still too relaxed in Marik's hands.

Burning lips scattered tiny kisses over the shoulder blade and along the curve of the neck so that Ryou let out a gentle sigh and arched his body into the ghostly touch. He had never noticed how good it felt to be touched, especially not by Marik…

_Marik_!

In that jolt of realisation Ryou jerked his body away and pulled the towel tightly around himself.

"Why are you here?" he demanded again.

Marik barely had time to register what was happening. He had somehow fooled himself into believing that Ryou was really Bakura and now – and now _this_!

"Why?" Ryou shouted again.

_Why?_

That was a good question. He was here because of what the Pharaoh had told him to do, because of what 'Ryou' had done to Joey and because he had to protect Ryou and save Bakura.

Of all those reasons, he only had the voice to whisper, "Bakura…"

"Bakura? You're – you're here to take Bakura away from me!" Ryou exclaimed, the towel falling to the floor.

Marik took a step forward and reached out his hand. "Ryou – I –"

"Why? Why can't you leave him with me? Why can't you leave us alone?" Ryou demanded tearfully.

Ryou's eyes filled with tears as Marik grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him into an embrace.

"I'm sorry, Ryou. I'm so, so sorry for everything I've done…" he said quietly.

Ryou tried to break away, but he was too tired and Marik's warmth was too comforting.

"I don't want you to take him away from me, Marik. I need him," Ryou sobbed. "I don' want you to touch him anymore, to kiss him, to –" Ryou's voice trailed away.

Marik gasped. "How – how did you know?"

"I've seen it, I've – I've felt it and I hate it. I hate you – I don't want it anymore!"

Marik had never felt more ashamed in his life.

So this was the reason Bakura had been avoiding him. Ryou obviously meant more to him than he ever could and his shame quickly became sadness as he realised that whatever he felt for Bakura would never be returned – that it could never be returned.

And it wasn't just because Bakura didn't want to hurt Ryou, either. Marik couldn't bear to hurt the white haired boy whose tears made his heart ache and whose haunted eyes filled his soul with loathing for himself. Marik couldn't bear the thought of Ryou hating him forever, even if it meant having to give up loving Bakura. Love was something that should be treasured, not tainted with pain and conflict.

But although Marik could bear the thought of not loving Bakura, he couldn't bear the thought of Bakura loving Ryou and him being left on his own again.

That was, if Bakura ever returned…


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: I hope people are still reading (and enjoying) this story. Feedback would be lovely. Next chapter should be ready in a couple of weeks.

**I'd Die For You**

By Spirit Summoner

_Twice the moon has risen and completed its cycle since the last that I wrote and much has happened._

_Still bearing fear for both myself and our child the King has summoned his High Priest to me. I know that I am acting stubborn, but I truly did not wish for the man to come to me. I do not know why, but I have a strange feeling with regards to him – I cannot help but feel suspicious of him. I had thought that my dislike of him had vanished when he handed me to my Lord, but over the past two moons it has gradually grown back._

_Perhaps it is as Lydia says, perhaps I am jealous. We have seen it happen to many a girl within the palace walls. It is hard for any such girl, with no noble blood or high standing to court a man and even when one feels genuine affection one must always remember that it rarely works._

_It saddens me to think of all the broken hearts and wet tears that must have been created due to the impromptu marriages of the soldiers with foreign maids, all arranged by the Generals when advised by the priests._

_I realise now that this is why I so value my King. I was indeed lucky to have been betrothed to a man whom I desired and not to some other that I had not met. In my circumstance I would not have ruled out the chance of me being sent to Libya or beyond to bear the mark of some rich senator._

_Ah, my King…_

_How my heart misses him and how my body yearns for his touch._

_He has been called away you see. There is to be a ceremony to celebrate the appointment of a new priest into the fold and the High Priest has insisted that the King attend and anoint him himself. I suppose I cannot be too annoyed – at least it means that I will be spared his hard stares and cold manner for another day or so, even if I do crave my Lord's warmth._

_My child is near full grown now. I can feel him dancing in my womb and wonder if he shall grow to be strong and stoical like his father or silly and studious like myself. I should wish for him to receive traits from both of us and so I should have him silly and strong or stoical and studious._

_I have much time now. Lydia has me playing with spun cotton to make threads for my child and his linen. I am not much when it comes to such tedious stuff usually, but in my boredom I have acquired quite a skill for sewing and embroidering. I have even had time to decorate some of Lydia's plain garments. I hope that she will wear them and be proud._

_Ah! Excuse me, but the baby has moved again. Sometimes I think that it is more than accidental. More than once a swift kick had alerted me to the fact that I have forgotten my wine or oils. My child is indeed a playful one – no doubt he will be a monster to care for._

_You ask how I know that the baby will be a he? Lydia has asked the same and I know of no answer other than I simply do. I have even chosen a name with my King._

_Atemu._

_Yes, Atemu he will be. Atemu, I say to him as I rub my belly. Atemu, my Atemu._

_Oh! I hear running and the shouts of guards._

_The King! they cry. The King!_

_My King has returned? But it is too soon – something must have happened…I must go, for I must see to it that my Lord is not harmed by his outing! I pray that he will not be – oh, Great Ra, by the blessed please let him be unharmed…_

_

* * *

Bakura?_

_Ryou?_

_Bakura!_

Bakura was suspended in darkness, watching his hikari drift away from him with excruciating slowness. It all felt so surreal. One moment he could have sworn he had been somewhere else. He had been with someone – someone he knew and seen someone important.

_Ryou…_

The name seemed to send shivers through his mind.

Perhaps he was someone important, but it didn't matter now. But –

It was so insistent, as though he were being forced to remember – to keep that name a part of himself. It was one of the only things he could hold onto and he was scared to let it go, but in an odd way, he was also scared for it to remain a part of him, as though it bore some strange connection to him and his lost memories and blank mind.

Whoever that was they had seemed so close – if he could have moved he would have been able to touch him – but now…Now he wondered if this 'Ryou' had ever even existed.

_Ryou…_

The name seemed so soft, so gentle, so bright.

It was as though he was a light – his light – and he had somehow been stripped from him. It was like he had been torn in two – he was calling out, calling out searching for his other half. His light.

But all he could see was darkness.

Darkness…

Black.

Shadow.

Dark.

Yami…

"…_I happen to like you…"_

Bakura smiled to himself as an oddly warm feeling surged through his body at the memory. The ghostly image of a man who he barely knew and yet once knew well enough to hate. And now?

Now he could barely remember who he was and yet the memory of this man – the mighty king – the Great Pharaoh – still remained as fresh as it had ever been.

All around him was darkness and yet somewhere he could see this beacon of light that shone over wild hair and tanned skin.

"Pharaoh?" he asked weakly, finally able to stretch out an arm.

His limbs were pale in the darkness, the harsh light from the beam only serving to highlight its whiteness.

"Pharaoh…Yami – is that you?"

Slowly, the arm began to fall and Bakura felt all his energy drain away from him with just those words as intense flashes of light and colour seared his eyes and mind.

_What is this?_ his mind screamed. _Gold and blood – the flash of metal – a shrill scream – rain, no tears – a woman crying – a face – pale and scared – milk and honey – the icy feel of fingers – red, red eyes…_

"What did I do? What did I do!"

* * *

Yami's feelings of hopelessness were suddenly replaced by a sense of urgency as he felt the strange presence of the tiny ball of light once again. This time, however, it did not seem as playful or as friendly as it had the last. Instead, it seemed to be glaring at him, bursts of light radiating out in erratic patterns that mirrored the irregular rhythm of its sharp jarring discord.

"What is it?" Yami asked aloud, not realising quite how insane it all seemed. He was, after all, talking to a ball of light – then again, he was a three thousand year old spirit trapped in another Realm. He really wasn't one to comment on anything such as this.

The light flashed several times, perhaps in warning, but Yami still couldn't understand. His mind was frantically trying to think where he had seen such a similar pattern before…

The short, sharp flashes, the painful wailing…

_The ambulance!_

Yami recalled the night that Yugi's Granpa had been admitted into the Domino Hospital on a stretcher after being loaded onto the strange wailing machine.

Bakura was in trouble, and if this message was anything like that of an ambulance siren, he was in need of help. Badly.

He needed to find him, to find some way of reaching him and yet lost in the darkness of the shadows, Yami found himself completely empty of ideas. All he could think about was what might have happened to the other spirit.

Images of the former tomb robber drenched in blood, half drowned filled his mind as he remembered the previous encounter with the Nile. He shivered and pushed the thought away, only for the screaming face of terror that had accompanied his companion's unconscious rage.

Yami growled to himself, suddenly very protective of Bakura. He would not let anything happen to him and he would be damned if anything bad should go his way before he found him again. It was only a matter of time before their paths crossed again.

After all, the two had entered the Shadow Realm together, and the law of the Realm stated that they shared an inexplicable bond. Although this was useful in times such as this, should the bond ever be severed the consequences would see both their minds plunged into eternal darkness – one slowly after the other.

It was then that another thought struck him. What if Bakura had already fallen and Yami was slipping in after him?


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N**: I'd just like to say that I've had some really great feedback for the last chapter. It really means a lot to know that people are enjoying the story and it motivates me to continue – I write in the hope that people will read and enjoy what I have done and everything you say makes me want to do better and improve ^^

**I'd Die For You**

By Spirit Summoner

"Just – just stay away from me!" Ryou screamed.

"Ryou…" Marik began weakly.

"Please – not any more," Ryou begged as hot tears rolled down his pale face.

Marik couldn't even look at him anymore. It hurt him too much to see what his actions had done. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Blearily, Ryou stumbled away from Marik. "No – no you're not. If you were you wouldn't be doing this to us – you wouldn't be trying to take him away!"

Marik fell exhaustedly onto his knees. He shook his head slowly. "Ryou, I don't want to take him away." _I want him back – maybe even more than you do…_ "And I _am_ sorry. I never meant to hurt anyone."

But Ryou didn't hear him, he was already halfway down the stairs but in his half blind state he didn't notice the water on the steps and tumbled into the bathroom.

Dizzy with confusion and distress, Ryou barely caught himself with his hands as he cried out in pain. Tiny shards of something sharp pierced the flesh on his palms, breaking the skin and making little rivers of blood trickle down over the white skin of his wrists. Ryou winced, not because of the glass, but the sting of the warm fluid as it washed over his tender skin rubbed raw with hot and cold water. He lifted his hands to his face, blinking his eyes so that he could see more clearly. The shattered glass winked back at him and he gasped. Ryou jerked his head to the floor which was still covered with rose coloured water and he saw the small shards of the broken mirror floating on the rippling surface.

"_This was all your fault, you know."_

Ryou's eyes darted left and right, trying to find the source of the voice.

A distorted laugh filled his ears and he shook his head, but it only grew louder.

"_Oh Vessel, how naïve you are. Do you really believe that you don't know who I am?"_

"Where are you?" Ryou demanded. His voice was quiet, but firm.

More laughter. _"Why Vessel – I am a part of you,"_ the voice answered.

"No – no, you're lying!" Ryou shouted in reply.

"_Am I? I am not the one denying the truth about myself."_

"Leave me alone – why won't you all just leave me alone?"

"_Alone? Don't you see, Vessel – you are alone!"_ the voice sneered. _"Who is there left to help you? To save you? You have pushed them all away – think about it. All those that you couldn't drive away you hurt."_

Ryou closed his eyes, his mind screaming at him with broken memories. Bakura's disappearance – Joey's attack – Marik…he was the cause of all of them, it was all his fault.

"Why? Why me?" he pleaded.

"_Vessel, how long did you think you could escape the truth about yourself? Do you even know what you are? No, I bet you can't even remember. Look at what you have become – weak and pathetic. You even fear the taste of blood when that is what you were raised to drink."_

Ryou bit back the bile that began to rise in his throat at the thought of drinking more blood. He had to gag when he realised that he had enjoyed it.

"_Don't fight it Vessel, it is part of what you are. You are a monster."_

"I'm not a monster!" Ryou sobbed. "I'm not!"

"_If you don't believe your thoughts, then perhaps you will believe your eyes. Look at yourself Vessel, and then tell me what you are and are not."_

Ryou wrenched his eyes open and found himself scrambling to gather up the broken fragments of the mirror. The sharp edges nipped at his fingers, but he didn't care – something inside of him compelled him to continue until he had the rough shape of a mirror in front of him.

He stared hard at his reflection, trying to ignore the smeared blood on the shiny glass as his eyes focused to his image.

Slowly, he began to see his features take form – the pale skin and white hair, and deep, dark, red eyes…

_Wait – red eyes?_

Ryou blinked and looked again. A silent scream lodged itself in his throat. No – that wasn't him – it couldn't be. The eyes were a hideous scarlet – the colour of congealed blood and they gleamed with a malice that seized at his heart.

He lifted a hand to his face but saw that it was a dark claw and as it touched his skin his face seemed to melt away revealing dark, hollowed cheeks. His complexion took on an ashen grey-blue hue.

"No – that isn't me!" he whispered, distraught to find that his voice sounded exactly like the one that had spoken to him before.

"_Who else could it be?"_ the voice answered.

Ryou shook his head and brought his fists down on the makeshift mirror, breaking the shards into tiny pieces and scattered the fragments so that the illusion would shatter, but as he did, he noticed that his hands were those same claws.

"This – this can't be real!" he cried. The words barely left his mouth before the sinister laugh played in his mind.

"_Oh, but it is, Vessel. This is you – this is what you are. You cannot hide it anymore – you needn't hide it anymore. Embrace the darkness, for that is what you are and whence you came."_

Ryou continued to shake his head in disbelief and continued to push the glass away from himself. As he did, he saw that the large image had become hundreds, maybe even thousands of the monstrous visage. The mirror pieces seemed to swarm around him, each taunting him. Thin lips twisted into a malicious smile, revealing sharp fangs and a hideous black tongue.

"_Join with us again, Vessel,"_ the voices chorused in unison. _"Together we will unleash the darkness. Just let go of this world, release your spirit and journey to the shadows where we will unite…"_ the voices were soft and soothing and Ryou found himself drawn into their combined song.

He didn't want to alone, and he certainly didn't want to be the weak and powerless Ryou Bakura anymore.

"There's nothing left for me here anyway, is there?" he asked, more himself than the voices.

With trembling hands, Ryou reached forward and seized one of the larger shards and positioned it over the pulsing vein in his wrist.

"_Yes…"_ the voices hissed, the ugly smile widening as the glass neared the skin. _"Do it…Vessel, do it…"_

* * *

Bakura trembled with the cold although his blood seemed hot enough to boil as it roared through his veins. The terrible visions that had overcome him before had returned, only this time they were so much worse. They felt so much stronger, they almost felt real – they did feel real. He could feel the sticky prickle of hot breath on the back of his neck, the clutch of bony fingers twisting the hair at his nape, the sharp claws trailing provokingly over his cheek and jaw…

He tried to shake free, but his entire body felt frozen and it became a struggle to breathe. It was as though his very body was trying to expel him again. He felt as though he were being forced to part with his vessel again as a sharp pain tore through his brain.

"_Embrace the darkness, for that is what you are and whence you came…"_ a dark voice filled his mind.

Bakura grimaced. _No – not again!_ His mind screamed. _No – leave me! _

"_You have grown weak, Vessel,"_ the voice taunted.

_No! I – I am not weak, and I am no vessel to you._

The voice laughed. _"No, you are correct. You are nothing to me anymore. Whatever you are is of no consequence, for I have found a new vessel – one that will serve me better than you ever did."_

_What do you mean?_

"_You are useless to me now, spirit,"_ the voice spat out scornfully._ "You failed me and now I shall take your vessel and complete what I set out to accomplish!"_

_My vessel?_

"_You do not even remember your vessel? You're even weaker than I thought. You could have been great Spirit, but you have allowed the light to corrupt you. Now you fear the darkness and beg for the light when you should reveal in the shadows that surround you!"_

_No – you're wrong. I am not weak!_

"_You are pathetic!"_ the voice raged. _"You cannot even protect your precious friends!"_

_No – no, that's not true._

Bakura welded his eyes shut, but no sooner than he did they seemed to open again. He gasped when he realised what he saw. Shattered glass lay scattered around him and in the surface he could see Ryou, only he looked worse than he had even seen him before. His face was sullen and the skin ashen, his eyes blank and face devoid of emotion. In his hands he held a broken fragment of the mirror and pressed it slowly against the pale skin of his wrist.

_No, Ryou, don't!_

He wanted to stop him, to scream, but he couldn't.

Ryou's mouth seemed to move in a silent whisper. Bakura tried to read his words.

_Alone – shadows – darkness…_

"_You see – you failed as a vessel and now you have failed as a spirit."_

_You don't know anything about me._

"_I know you better than you think – perhaps even better than you know yourself. I know why you hate your past so much and why you've been hiding it for so long."_

_No…No – no, no!_

"_I know the monster that you were and the monster that you have become." _The voice became a whisper. _"I know your deepest, darkest secrets and what I know will destroy you…"_

* * *

**A/N**: Again, any feedback would be appreciated and look for another update in about two weeks! Yes, I am still trying to maintain a better updating schedule. We shall see if it sticks…


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N**: Hope this chapter finds all you lovely readers well. Enjoy!

* * *

**I'd Die For You**

By Spirit Summoner

Yami knew instinctively that he was close to Bakura. He wasn't sure how, but he could feel it somewhere that he would have called his heart if not for the implications. Instead, he called it intuition.

_Pharaoh's intuition_.

He also knew that whatever trouble Bakura was in, it was a lot worse than what he had first thought. Since his arrival in the Shadow Realm he had never journeyed so far into the darkness. Yes, he had been hopelessly lost but never had he seen the shadows so menacing – so malicious.

His progress had slowed to a crawl due to the thickness of the purple haze that had reappeared somewhere along the way and he began to feel panicked when the feeling of Bakura seemed to fade slightly. He stopped completely, closing his eyes in an attempt to sense where the other spirit was and gasped when he felt his essence in the form of a jolt through his body.

Yami felt something cold wrap itself around his legs, rooting him to the spot, but he kicked it away. The same icy tendrils reached out and groped along his skin, pimpling the flesh. He kept his eyes closed, choosing sightlessness over whatever was trying to hinder him and knowing that he would be blinded by the shadows anyway.

"Let go of me!" he ground out.

The fingers of smoke seemed to withdraw slightly, but still hovered around him.

Yami concentrated on getting closer to Bakura, but with every step he felt the shadows closing in on him again. It was as though they were simply waiting for his resolve to slip so that they could seize him and drag him under.

But he wouldn't let that happen.

He knew that he had to find Bakura, to see and to save him from a Fate worse than death – after all, the two of them had long broken the physical bonds of the body and had to endure eternity as bodyless souls. Had it not been for their hikaris breaking the seals and sharing their bodies they would have been lost to the shadows long ago.

"I will find you Bakura!" Yami shouted. "I swear it!"

Yami's voice broke through the clouds of purple smoke and somehow reached Bakura's ears.

_That voice…could it be – could it be the Pharaoh?_

"_Ah, so another useless spirit makes its way towards the heart of darkness. I wonder how this one shall fair in the shadows,"_ the voice mused darkly.

_No – stay away from him!_

"_Oh? I see that this spirit means something to you now. You would not think that way if you knew of his past."_

_Whatever the Pharaoh did has nothing to do with me._

"_No? Have you never wondered why it was that both you and the Pharaoh were locked away three millennia previous? You are even more stupid than you look."_ The voice grew spiteful. _"You have no idea what the Pharaoh did to you – if you did you would hate him as much now as you did then."_

_I – I don't hate him._

"_You do, you have hated him ever since his name was first uttered in your presence. You hated him enough to kill his family."_

Bakura shook his head, the memories of the Pharaoh's mother filling his find, her blood on his fingers…

"_Yes, yes you remember it don't you?"_ the voice taunted. _"Don't deny you enjoyed every moment of her death – you drank her blood while it was still warm."_

_No – I didn't, I couldn't have!_

"_You did!"_ declared the voice._ "And just as you killed the Pharaoh's family, you too will be the demise of the Pharaoh whom you foolishly cherish so much."_

_I won't hurt him._

"_You won't have to – you already have. How do you think he will feel when he discovers that you are the reason for all his tragedies? You betrayed him and that will hurt more than anything. Well, except his ultimate Fate."_

_What are you saying?_

"_Who better to merge with the Shadows than the one whose name means Darkness itself?"_

_He will never surrender._

"_He will if he believes that it is the only way to save you."_

Bakura shuddered.

_He won't fall for any of your trickery._

"_Ah, how naïve you are Spirit. Your precious Pharaoh is fighting his way here to save you even as we speak. It will not be long before he falls because of your actions."_

"_I will find you Bakura! I swear it!"_

"_Seems like the Pharaoh is closer to you than I thought."_

Bakura could even hear the smirk in the voice.

* * *

"_He's close, Pharaoh."_

Yami felt the faint whisper of cold air ghost past his ear.

"_But you won't be able to save him_," the voice taunted.

The Pharaoh shivered, silently wishing that it was nothing more than his imagination, but he knew that his desire would be highly unlikely.

There was a cold chuckle. _"You'll never save him at this rate – you'll be too late, Pharaoh. The other spirit is slipping away into the Shadows, very soon he shall be a part of them again and you will too."_

"I will save him," Yami breathed out as he broke into a sprint.

"_Yes, yes that's it Pharaoh. Run towards your destruction…"_

The icy fingers closed around Yami's body again, but this time instead of holding him back they seemed to be pulling him forward.

"_This way, Pharaoh, this way…"_

Yami frowned. "Why are you helping me?" he wondered aloud.

The voice laughed. _"Oh Pharaoh, how naïve you are. Do you really think I am aiding you? No, I am only doing this so that I might sooner claim your soul as mine."_

The grip seemed to tighten.

"_You have no idea of what you are doing, do you? You are as weak and pathetic as the other spirit. But that is no matter – when I consume you, you shall both add to my power…"_

"No – I won't help you with your evil!" Yami exclaimed.

"_You have no choice!"_ the voice roared. _"It's already too late for you!"_

"I will never yield until I have freed Bakura," Yami replied.

A sharp blast of wind whipped around Yami._ "How will you save him from the Darkness, Yami? How will you save him from yourself…?"_

Suddenly, the thick purple smoke parted and Yami's mouth fell open in shock.

Bakura was barely visible in amongst the tangles of thick purple vines that had cocooned themselves around his body. Yami could see the tentacles writhing over him, squeezing the air from his lungs. Bright pulses of purple light told the Pharaoh that Bakura's very life force was being drained…

"Release him!" Yami demanded.

"_You are Pharaoh no more! I will not obey your orders, spirit. Here you are nothing more than a ghost – a memory better forgotten and indeed that is what you will soon be!"_

Threads of the purple snakes shot out from the shadows and seized Yami by the wrists and ankles so that he was pulled until he was spread eagled mid air.

"You won't get away with this!" he seethed through gritted teeth, determined not to let the pain show.

The vines stung at his flesh where they held him and sharp, needle like teeth seemed to dig into his skin, drawing tiny rivulets of crimson.

"_You can do nothing to stop me, spirit,"_ the voice taunted.

Slowly, the stinging tentacles wrapped themselves around his waist and crawled along his arms and legs. He felt his chest grow heavy as the vines constricted and drew up to his neck…

"Don't give up, Bakura," he croaked breathlessly. "I know you're still in there – I know you can hear me! Bakura! Bakura, wake up! Please, Bakura, I need you. Don't let it win – you're stronger than the shadows! Bakura –"

Only muffled shouts could be heard as the tentacles forced Yami's jaw closed and covered his face. Yami could only close his eyes and hope…

"_Bakura, I need you."_

In the dark void of his mind, something seemed to flare and Bakura found himself snapping awake.

_What's happening?_ he thought, his mind desperately clutching at the voice in his memories as though that was all that was keeping him alive.

Try as he might, he found that he couldn't move and that he could barely see. There was something on his face obscuring the view from one eye and his chest felt strangely bruised. It was then he realised that he couldn't feel – let alone hear – himself breathing.

Bakura heard strangled struggling and his one unclouded eye darted around to find the source of distress.

_Yami?_ he gasped mentally.

"_You too will be the demise of the Pharaoh whom you foolishly cherish so much."_

The Pharaoh was trapped in the same way that he assumed he must have been – bound from head to toe in the killer vines that seemed to be eating away at his energy. At this point it was a struggle for his mind to register what was going on.

"_It will not be long before he falls because of your actions."_

_The voice!_

It was starting to make sense, despite his better wishes.

The voice had foretold that the Pharaoh would attempt to rescue him and that that in turn would lead to both of their ends.

Bakura shook his head. He couldn't – he wouldn't let that happen.

The Pharaoh had promised to save him, and although he hadn't, he had at least tired.

Bakura had to do the same for him.

But as the tentacles crushed against his ribs, Bakura wondered if all his oaths were nothing more than futile thoughts in his last waking moments…

* * *

**A/N**: I know this chapter is a bit short, but at least I got it out. Next update should be in another couple of weeks, I've already started work on it and it should be a good one. Until then, I'd love to hear what you think.


	41. Chapter 41

**I'd Die For You**

By Spirit Summoner

The whole world seemed to shrink away from Ryou as the cold shard of ice moved closer to his skin. All he became aware of was how cold he felt, how empty, how numb. Darkness descended around him and a haze of purple smoke began to permeate the air ominously.

_Bakura…there is so much I haven't said. I wish – I wish you were here. I wish I was with you, wherever you are…_

Tiny bolts of lightning seemed to crackle around him, reflecting on the smooth surface of the glass.

"_Yes…"_ a voice hissed.

"_More!"_ another demanded.

"_Closer, closer,"_ more began to chant.

There whispers were so quiet that they could have been mistaken for the wind.

As the fragment of shattered mirror began to graze against Ryou's skin the smoke began to billow throughout the room and a terrible wailing echoed on the tiled walls. Red and blue flashed against the ceramic white tiles, merging into a muddy purple that made the walls look as though they were bruised.

The shard bit into his skin and the voices grew louder, hiding the sound of scratching. The raised blisters on his skin hissed as they were cut open, the thick puss oozing over his flesh. The other fragments of glass began to vibrate on the floor. The haunting image that had appeared on the remains of the mirror seemed to shatter, until hundreds of the monsters stared out from within their own glass prisons.

The menacing talons scratched dangerously against the inside of the mirror as the monsters attempted to claw their way out. A high pitched shriek signalling the splitting of the fragile glass filled the room.

Slowly, wisps of purple smoke began to slip through the tiny cracks in the broken mirrors and a cold, hostile laugh permeated the surroundings.

"_Yes,"_ the voices growled. _"Free me, little Vessel – free us all…"_

The smoke danced together until it began to take the shape of a body – huge and hulking with massive muscles that seemed to strain under his thick skin. As soon as the first malevolent being had formed, others followed, each laughing darkly.

The first monster slithered over to where Ryou knelt and he reached out his dangerous looking claws and seized Ryou's wrist. The white haired teenager felt something cold squeezing on his arm and winced in pain while he turned to look behind him.

"Bakura?" his voice whispered.

'Bakura' smiled, careful not to reveal the sharp points of his teeth, and his usually brown eyes glinted with an unusual speck of red. Another icy hand enclosed itself around the hand that Ryou was using to hold the fragment of glass.

"_It's time to set me free, Vessel."_

The grip seemed to tighten slightly as 'Bakura' began to firmly direct the sharp shard towards Ryou's other arm, nicking a thin red line just millimetre's away from the main vein in his wrist.

Ryou closed his eyes as he felt a quick stab of pain, but he pushed the feeling to the back of his mind. All he could think about was Bakura, how worried he had been and how much he had missed him.

And now he was right there with him as though he had never been missing. Only they would not be together for long.

"I love you, Bakura," he said softly as several salty tears slid down his cheek.

'Bakura' only grinned more and drew the glass closer to the vein.

The boy's love would be his death.

* * *

Giant shadows began to swarm around Yami. The figures were dark and menacing, irradiating a cold aura so black it seemed to absorb the world around them. Slowly, they began to take form in what looked to be a disproportionate human shape. The head was small in comparison to the huge expanse of chest and shoulders.

Sculpted muscles coursed the whole of the being, covered by ashen skin which gleamed a metallic blue in the dark. Red eyes pierced through the shadows, mouths opened and twisted into malicious smiles.

Bakura watched in horror as the swirling shapes grew solid before him. Massive fists opened to reveal sharp claws that scraped noisily against each other.

"_Soon, Vessel, I shall be free and it will be the work of your and your pitiful Pharaoh_," the monster spat scornfully.

Stiff legs stepped forward, closing the gap between Bakura and the dark menace.

"_You should have done as it was wished. Maybe then you would have lived, but it is done. Vessel, what you were to me once, you are no more."_

Bakura squirmed as he felt the icy breath on his face, gagging against the vines that bound his mouth and limbs. He felt the thin blades of the talons on the surface of his face. The beast dragged his nails over the skin, careful only to leave tiny red lines that would fade quickly.

"_Such a shame to waste such unusual beauty_," the monster said. _"But first,"_ it sneered. _"The Pharaoh."_

The monster turned away and sliced its beastly claws through a section of the hideous vines constricting the Pharaoh.

"_Were it not for you and your pathetic protectors we should have succeeded," the_ monster growled. _"Now, ultimate vengeance shall be ours and your world will crumble as it should have done three thousand years ago. May your dust return to the ancient sands of Egypt, Pharaoh."_

_No!_ Bakura screamed mentally. _Don't hurt him!_

"_Oh, the Pharaoh shall not feel pain for much longer, Vessel and then shall come your turn_." The voice was cruel and angry. _"Now I shall take back all my stolen years and leave the darkness to feed on your souls. Enjoy your eternal Afterlife – not that you will want to remember the Hell that awaits you in this Realm!"_

The monster laughed and the blurred figures that haunted the shadows gathered around the Pharaoh, skeletal tentacles reaching out to tear at the flesh of the Pharaoh.

Yami's head rolled back slightly, the eyes half open so that Bakura could see the ghostly whites. Soft lips parted as one of the shadows torn its way into his mouth. Bakura's eyes widened as he saw the whites of Yami's orbs turn a smoky grey and then black.

_No!_

"No!"

Bakura's eyes sealed themselves closed spilling hot tears from the corners.

Suddenly, the darkness was pierced by a glaring light that emanated from Bakura himself. His pale skin shone gold before fading back to white, strange lines marking his body, filling the scars that had been drawn into his hands and regenerating the flesh. Thick beams of white reached out from a point of light on Bakura's forehead and as soon as they touched the murky shadows they cried out in agony and began to convulse before exploding in a burst of dark cloud.

"_What magic is this?"_ the monster demanded as the light fell on him. His skin began to burn under the intensity of the light; the ashen layers peeling back to expose black flesh.

The vines that bound both Bakura and Yami began to dissolve and Yami gasped urgently as his lungs finally filled with air.

Bakura collapsed, a familiar mark etched on his forehead…

* * *

'Bakura' cried out in pain as his skin began to bubble and melt, revealing his true form once again.

"Bakura?" Ryou screamed when he saw the ugly mass of rotting flesh before him, dropping the glass so that he was able to cover his nose and mouth with both hands to block out the terrible stench of death. With quick, sharp movements, he managed to jerk himself away from the monster.

The other shadows hissed as bursts of light swallowed them, turning them inside out and shattering them like the shards of the mirror.

'Bakura' tried to reach out for Ryou, but as he made contact with his skin he felt his own body burning with pain. Ryou's own blistered skin seemed to heal itself as white became gold and then white once more. Ryou glowed white hot and he suddenly felt very light as a tremendous warmth filled his body and then blasted itself through his body at the monsters in Yugi's bathroom.

'Bakura' cried out pathetically as it began to shrivel in Ryou's presence before dripping into an oozing puddle that quickly set and then vanished as though it had never existed. The only evidence of the monsters was the lingering smell of acrid smoke that hung in the damp air.

As the light with Ryou disappeared, he felt himself growing weak. Knees buckled, but he was caught by strong arms as Marik supported his failing legs.

The young Egyptian had heard the terrible sounds and rushed to the bathroom to see what was happening. He had thought that perhaps Ryou had become possessed again, and then that he might have been trying to hurt himself.

He had _not_ expected to find Ryou alone in the centre of a cyclone of menacing purple shadows, a gold marking pulsating on his brow.

After all, he had been present when Bakura and the Pharaoh had sealed away their Millennium Items.

So why was it that the Millennium Symbol had illuminated itself on Ryou's forehead?

* * *

**A/N**: Just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone who has been reading this, and especially those who have been following it through the years despite my sporadic updates. I'm really amazed and so grateful for your loyalty and can only hope that lives up to your expectations!

Next update in another couple of weeks. Until then, it would be great to hear what you think.


	42. Chapter 42

**I'd Die For You**

By Spirit Summoner

Bakura collapsed, exhausted. Exhausted but safe.

At least for the time being.

The menacing monster would no doubt return to attempt to claim them again but neither the thief nor the pharaoh had the strength to even consider a repeat of the ordeal.

Yami gasped desperately, clouds of black smoke emerging from his mouth. He tumbled awkwardly, falling onto something strangely soft. Crimson eyes opened, slow, tired and heavy. Yami blinked and waved a lazy hand in front of his face to swipe away the smoke that clouded his vision.

His mind throbbed with questions, questions and still more questions.

_What's happening? Am I still the Shadow Realm? Where is Bakura?_

"Bakura!" he gasped in realisation.

Yami twisted to the side and rolled over the strangely soft object he had landed on which turned out to be a body. And sure enough, it belonged to no other than the infamous Tomb Robber himself. Yet he was so pale and his breathing laboured – as though he had far over stretched his limits.

But more worryingly, Yami noted with a look of slight horror, the Millennium Symbol was flashing on his forehead.

_But that can't be!_ Yami rubbed his temples in what he prayed was a manner that would soothe his pounding brain. _That symbol should not be there – I sealed all our Items away and we hid them so that they cannot be found._

The only Item that they had not sealed away was the Millennium Rod that they had returned to Marik so that he would have the power to send them to the Shadow Realm. Still, that didn't explain why the Millennium Symbol was currently shining with its power on Bakura – the thief had no connection to the Millennium Rod and so would not – or so Yami thought – be able to tap into any Shadow Magic using it anyway.

Yami took a deep breath and instantly regretted it. For some reason, the air stank and tasted sulphuric, and it burnt his tongue and nostrils. Even so, it achieved the sobering effect that he had aimed for.

_Okay…there are seven Millennium Items,_ he reasoned. _If I can remember which I sealed away and who holds the remaining Items, maybe I can work this out. Yugi and I have always been in possession of the Millennium Puzzle, and I assume that Bakura has always been close to the Millennium Ring. Those were sealed away with the Millennium Necklace that Ishizu gave me and we gave Marik the Rod. So that leaves three…_

"I know that Shadi holds both the Millennium Key and the Scales, but he couldn't possibly be behind this, could he?" Yami asked aloud.

No, that couldn't be. Shadi was the Guardian of the Millennium Items and would never abuse their power in such a way.

_Unlike Pegasus…_

After he and Yugi had defeated the Duel Monster creator he had barely been seen or even heard from.

"Could Pegasus be plotting something else?" Yami wondered.

_But then what is his plan? This is so unlike Pegasus – too clandestine. _

Then again, it wasn't as though that many people had the power to wield the power of the Millennium Items, aside from Pegasus who had been chosen as a host for the Millennium Eye the rest all had links with Ancient Egypt.

_Even Kaiba…_

Yes, Seto Kaiba who believed only in the rational and reasonable and could never be persuaded to accept his past. There was no way that Kaiba would have masterminded any plot involving anything which couldn't be explained by science and logic.

Absently, Yami traced the Millennium Symbol etched on Bakura's forehead. He felt something move underneath the skin and drew his hand back in shock.

"Bakura?" he asked worried as the thief frowned slightly, as though something was troubling him. Sharp teeth bit into a pale lip as the symbol rippled and faded only for the lines to reappear and rise through the flesh. "Bakura, what's happening to you? What's going on?" Yami cried in desperation.

Bakura's body began to jerk violently and Yami instantly went to quell his movements so that he would not injure himself. As soon as his hands made contact with Bakura's body the two were wrapped in an intense gold light. The darkness began to contract, boxing them in until it touched the light. Where they met became solid lines that sparked like a damaged fuse, the tiny embers bounced against the lines, painting in familiar stone walls on which hung a portrait of a beautiful young woman.

_Cecilia Pegasus…_

In the distance he could hear the cheering of his friends and –

"And the winner is," a dramatic pause, "Yugi Moto!"

More celebrations and a modest laugh.

_Yugi…_

He remembered, Yami remembered this – it was the day that he had defeated Pegasus, rescued the Kaiba brothers and saved his Grandpa's soul.

_But I already know what happens._

Or so he thought.

Pegasus stumbled wearily into the room, one hand clamped over his eye. Yami heard his sobs as he faced the painting.

"I – I failed you. I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you. I wish I could have saved you…"

_I hadn't realised that Pegasus had been so distraught. He must have really loved her. He still does – I can't believe he devoted so much of his life to reviving her. He really wasn't bad at all – just blinded by his love. He would have done anything for her, even sacrifice himself to bring her back…_

"You pathetic fool!" sneered a cold voice.

A dark shadow had appeared in the corner of the room, menacing shapes twisting outwards to lick at the edges of the room.

"You should be wishing to save yourself!"

"Who – who are you?" Pegasus demanded.

Cruel laughter echoed in the air as a figure began to emerge from the shadows. "Who am I?" it taunted. "Why I am the very shadows of your darkest nightmares!" A ring of light pushed back the black clouds to reveal none other than Bakura.

Yami reflexively held on tighter to his Bakura.

_My Bakura. Has it really been that long since I stopped thinking of you as my enemy?_

Pegasus shook his head, too drained to cope with what was happening. "What do you want from me?"

Bakura laughed again and Yami shivered. He had thought that he had seen Bakura at his worst, but nothing in his memory quite compared to the apparition in front of him.

"What I want is the Millennium Eye, which I will have after I defeat you in a Shadow Game," Bakura revealed, the Millennium flaring brightly around his neck.

Yami's eyes widened as he watched Bakura callously crush Pegasus who obviously had little inclination to fight back or even protect himself. The victory was easy for Bakura whose sickening smile made Yami aware that he was enjoying himself.

The shadows leapt out and seized Pegasus, immobilising him so that Bakura was able to retrieve the Millennium Eye. Yami cringed as the thief dug his fingers into the eye socket without hesitating once despite Pegasus' agonised screams and wrenched the Item out.

Pegasus fell to his knees, hands covering the hollow in his face as the pain consumed him.

Bakura tossed the Eye into the air and then caught it in his pocket. "You were never meant to wield the Millennium Eye," he mocked. "You were only ever a vehicle to return the Eye to its master – to me!" he turned to leave, and then stopped. He snapped the fingers of his left hand together and an arrow of black lightning leapt through Pegasus' fingers into his empty socket.

The energy curled into a small ball before swelling and filling the hollow to replace the missing eye, although the pain had yet to subside.

"Think of it as a gift," Bakura answered Pegasus' unspoken question. "But it will serve a purpose not only to you, but to me as well. Remember that."

Dark spirals blurred the other Bakura from view and the shadows billowed within the room until the walls burst open from the pressure and the darkness of the Shadow Realm returned.

"Y-Yami?" the frail voice wrenched Yami from his state of shock. He glanced down at Bakura, his face ashen and eyes tired. "What are – what are you doing?"

The young pharaoh had not noticed that his grip had increased in such a way that the collar of Bakura's shirt was practically strangling him. Yami stood up shakily, hoisting the thief with him, ignoring the deep gasp of breath, before he roughly dropped him.

"What the hell?" Bakura seemed to sober suddenly.

"Why didn't you tell me that you have the Millennium Eye?" Yami demanded, his crimson eyes smouldering.

"Pharaoh, what are you talking about?" Bakura blinked, clearly confused.

"Don't play dumb with me, _thief_," the way he sneered the word made Bakura flinch. "I know you stole the Eye from Pegasus."

"But I – I didn't…" Bakura couldn't understand why the Pharaoh was accusing him of such a thing, but he guessed it had something to do with the Shadow Realm.

"Then how do you explain that!" Yami shouted, his finger pressing against the raised Millennium Symbol on his forehead. With the Pharaoh's touch, the lines shone brightly before lifting themselves out of Bakura's skin so that the markings on the object were clearly visible through the surface of his skin.

Bakura touched his left hand to his head in disbelief. Sure enough, he could feel the lines of the Millennium Eye protruding from his forehead. But he had no idea how it had happened.

"Pharaoh, you have to believe me – I didn't steal the Eye – I don't know how, or even why I have it anyway!" Bakura pleaded, then seeing that Yami was unaffected, he seemed to harden. "Fine then," Bakura spat out with contempt. "If you want to believe whatever the Shadows showed you then go ahead. Obviously everything in this world must be real. Do you honestly believe that? That everything and everyone you've seen here is real?" Bakura seemed to become increasingly hysterical in his ravings. "That – that you – that I – I couldn't – couldn't save her…" the Millennium Eye began to pulse slowly, speeding up as Bakura grew more and more frantic. "I couldn't save her," he repeated, "I couldn't – I couldn't save her."

Shadows began to wrap themselves around Bakura's body, much like those that had attempted to take Amane.

"No!" Yami shouted, instinctively throwing his body over Bakura's. His right hand brushed against the Millennium Eye which was flaring white through the clouds of black.

For a brief moment all Yami saw was black and then…

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks again to everyone who has been reading and to those who have reviewed. It really does mean a lot.

Next instalment will be up in a couple of weeks!


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